Wolf and Creed
by VivaLaBlondi48
Summary: Victor Creed meets someone that will rock his world as he knows it. Little does he know that he's her only shot at taming the animal within and she's his saving grace. I'm no good with summaries just give a chance. This is a complete redo of the original and I'm giving it another go now that I've grown as a writer.
1. Wolf meets Creed

**Redo. I've gone through and made some revisions, not major ones but enough to smooth out the kinks. These chapters sounded horrible.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ant characters of the X-Men except for the OC.**

The hum of the local traffic mixed with hustle and bustle of city life buzzed all around, filling the night with sound and life. Marie sighed watching the puff of breathe evaporate into the cold night air. A loud whistle pierced the air making her cringe. She turned to look behind her, just in time to catch a pair of dudes off to her left. She wrinkled her nose when one offered her a wink.

"Hey, Max, it's getting' kinda late. Ah wonda if we should head back?" Rogue asked her companion trying to hide her uneasiness, and disgust.

"We've only been gone an hour, this was your idea remember? C'mon, don't worry bout those two, if they even try to follow us they'll be in for a world of hurt... fuckin' smell 'em from here…" Max replied casually before slurping on her blue slushie. Anyone walking by probably wouldn't have noticed the twitch under her black toboggan unless they were paying close attention. Just to be on the safe side she'd keep an eye in them until they rounded the corner.

"… But if ya'r really that pussified by the mangy badger we'll head back if ya want," she teased trying to keep the mood light and playful like when they first started out.

Rogue huffed sounding offended and buried her hands in the pockets of her hunter green jacket.

"I'm _not_ scared of Logan, I'm 20 now, I'm not a child. The asshole can run back to Canada for all I care, and die in a blizzard," she retorted angrily, slightly pouting. Oh boy.

Max looked at her out of the corner of her eyes as she tried to hide her amusement. The best thing about being friends with these two was that there was always something going on. Not that she was sure she could count Lagan as a friend since he didn't really seem to like anyone, least of all her. But things had smoothened out considerably between them since her first arrival at the mansion.

"Wow I think you might actually mean it this time. What happened now?" Max asked smiling. She was no fool; she knew Rogue was head over heels for the Wolverine. It's impossible to ignore, especially when her heart beat quickened every time he entered a room, and the way her scent changes, not to mention she couldn't hold half a decent conversation. Really, the shit was ridiculous but Max couldn't help but hope that Marie would find a way to get to him. Not that she understood what she saw in the asshole. Sure he was the sexiest thing in the mansion, but he was way too uptight, and grumpy. Kinda like Scotteruni (her nickname for Scott) but more... intense.

"Just bein an ass." What she meant to say was 'He's sniffin' around Jean again and keeps treatin' me like his little sister.' Max snickered. Call her insensitive, but it tickled the shit outta her when the love birds would get into it. It's beyond adorable the way the smaller Mississippi girl can rile Logan as high as she could without fear of any danger. Max knows Marie is the very last person he would ever hurt… physically anyway, he can't seem to tell when he constantly hurts her emotionally. Fuckin retard.

Neon blue lights flashed overhead and immediately caught two's eye. 'Burt's

'**_Well looky here. This is more like it.'_**

"Hey. You want a drink?" She asked not taking her eyes off the sign. Rouge's eyes widened.

"Sounds heavenly." Max cast a casual look behind them to make sure their earlier admirers weren't tailing them. Satisfied that all was well she followed Rogue into the bar.

There weren't very many people in the small run down place, which was probably a good thing. Crowds made her uneasy. It didn't look like a bar you would find in the middle of a city. Max took a seat at the bar and kept her eyes down, waiting for the bartender. A chubby, balding man came over to them while cleaning a glass.

"What can I get for you ladies?" This must be Burt.

"Two Bud lights please," Marie answered with a smile.

"I.D. please?" Marie fished through her pocketbook while Max pulled hers from her pocket. The man nodded and fetched their drinks. He had either missed that they were fake, or just didn't really care.

Max shed her jacket before turning on her stool and leaned against the bar to survey the room. There were three guys by a pool table, a couple at a booth, and then, a lone figure in the booth at the corner. Silver eyes narrowed as a feeling of unease uncurled in her stomach her eyes trailed his powerful form before they met the stranger's intense look. The hairs on the back of her neck slowly rose along with her hackles. She knew that kind of gaze, the ominous look of a something you don't fuck with.

His upper half was cast in shadow but she could still tell that he was bulky with muscle, and pretty damn good looking to except for the way she literally felt like she should tuck tail and get the hell out of there.

'_**Mmm, yummy,' **_purred her baser instincts

Max winced and internally rolled her eyes and forced herself to drop her eyes. The soft thud of her drink being set on the bar caused her to turn around. She could feel his gaze still on her and she fought not to squirm in her seat.

She glanced at Marie and knew she could feel it too. Her eyes rolled shut as she inhaled heavily sifting through the smells of cigarettes booze and stale peanuts. A spicy wintergreen wafted through the mix... odd. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Pine trees, an earthy musk and…_ blood._

Heading back home suddenly didn't seem like a bad idea. Her unease must have shown on her face because Rogue nudged her arm. Max opened her eyes and flicked them to the corner and nodded.

'_Drink up.'_

Victor Creed had just ventured into the city in order to collect his latest paycheck. The job had been short, annoying and not nearly what he'd been hoping for, so here he was trying to lay low and unwind. He this was his last stop before he made his way back to Canada in the morning; way to many people here for his tastes.

He had made himself comfortable in a booth in the corner when a pair of frails came strolling through the door. He blinked twice. The platinum stripes were impossible to miss. Jimmy's frail had certainly grown up, and what did ya know, she wasn't alone. The other one was cute with short wavy black hair and long legs. She had on a black toboggan, a thick navy blue jacket over a black shirt, jeans and cowboy boots, well, looks like Jimmy's brat had found another fellow southerner to play with.

He watched her more intently when she spun around and propped her elbows on the bar. Nice rack. Suddenly he could see himself doing all kinds of things with that appetizing young body of hers and felt his animal stretch inside his mind and coming to concousness.

They locked eyes across the room and he smirked to himself as she looked him over before becoming flustered under his gaze. Pale grey eyes widened and assessed him nervously before she became incredibly tense and dropped her eyes. He re-poured his glass of whiskey and continued to watch her as she and Stripes made quick work of their drinks. Curiosity swept forth.

He watched Rogue set her beer on the bar and got up slinging her purse over her shoulder. At least his dumbass brother had taught her how to drink. He relaxed further into the booth and watched with lazy eyes as the girls readied to leave.

He watched the sway of the black headed one's well-rounded hips as she paid and made for the door with her companion. When Stripes opened the door a cool breeze drifted n from outside ruffling their hair and carrying their scents more into his corner. Victor almost choked on his drink. Magnolia's and... cinnoman? laced with rain. He sat erectly up in his seat and blue eyes clashed with molten silver. Hers had widened in alarm and her back stiffened. She quickly blinked and just about ran over Rogue in her haste to get out of the bar.

Victor relaxed again and grinned. Well shit, things just got real interesting. He gave a chuckle as he reached into back pocket for his wallet.

After slamming her beer Max fished out a couple dollars for the beer before grabbing her jacket and practically running out of the bar with Marie, waiting until they were outside to out her coat back on. The incident inside still had her on edge. That man, as fine as he was oozed ferocity the likes that she had never seen or felt in another person before. No fuckin way the guy was human, and no way he was a regular mutant either. Not a lot of things have triggered her instincts to the point where she was ready for fight or flight, definitely not another person, not like that. Even though she'd been scared her animal had risen to see what the fuss was about, it was more curious then intimidated. Max shivered, she'd think about it later.

Rogue was slightly off-centered by her friends actions but didn't feel the need to press the issue, having enough trust in her friend to know that it was time to scram. She'd caught a glimpse of the shadowed figure that had spooked Max. She knew Max was no pussy, and in fact often caused uncomfortable tension with her "take no shit attitude" and she was the fiercest person Rogue knew, besides Logan of course. Which meant it was time to go straight home.

They were about another twenty minute walk from the mansion when the wind shifted and blew from behind them. As they tried to tame their hair and Max stopped in her tracks. They had company; and it didn't smell friendly. She growled lowly causing Rouge to cast her a worried look.

"What's wrong?"

Two men, following, closely but not close enough to see. Panic gripped Max before she shoved it down forcing herself to appear calm, how could they have gotten so close with out her noticing? They'd pounce before they even made it to the front gate. A plan quickly began to formulate and Max innertwined her arm with Rogue's forcing her to walk with her as her wheels spun inside her head.

"Don't freak out but we're being followed." Rogue's eyes almost popped out of her head.

"What do ya mean don' freak out? We're being stalked?! Who is it?!" she whispered urgently.

"It smells like the douche bags from earlier and they're closing in fast, they're prolly gonna make a move before we can even get to the gate…" she warned. Rogue nodded in understanding and tried to ease her jumping heart rate and heavy breathing before sighing in releif when the stone wall into view. They would have to make a stand or risk being snuck from behind, and they couldn't let these guys near the school if they were dangerous.

They separated once they rounded the corner with Marie running forward and pressing herself against the bricks behind some bushes and Max swung herself agiley atop the wall in a crouch. Adrenaline hummed through her and fear bled into excitement as her darker urges crept forth. She fought to keep a grip as her inner wolf surged forward and snapped it's jaws demanding retribution for the ones hunting them and threatening her territory.

These jackasses had no idea whose turf they'd just stepped onto.

Their trackers words slipped out of coherience and she could feel her breath come heavier and her heartbeat drowned out everything else. The couple came around the corner and began looking around earnestly for the two girls they'd been after earlier. Max couldn't contain the smirk that slipped onto her face.

Marie's heart seized when the two guys came into view. Surprisingly she didn't lock up with terror at the sight of them. X-men training had helped her develop a strange kind of calm for stressful situations. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to step out in front of them when she felt a vibration through the wall before hearing a low guttural growl. _Oh shit._

Max stepped off the wall and into a silent crouch before running and slamming her body into a skin head, who was sent head first into the wall, his skull giving a satisfying crack against the stone. Then she rounded on the other one with a biker beard and landing a solid right hook to his jaw. She stepped towards Marie with the order to run in her lips before a sharp painful blow came from the back of her head. The world suddenly faded away leaving Rogue's terrified face and wordless scream that last thing she saw.

Marie was frozen as she watched the shift, she couldn't even move forward to help. Max's grey eyes bled gold and snarl was ripped from her lips as she was propelled forward by the attack. She brought her foot forward to catch herself before whipping around and fisting her hands in the skin heads jacket and delivered a knee to the gut that left him winded.

The click of a blade being released peirced the air and Max spun around with clawed hands, one gripping the wrist with the knife, the other aiming for Biker beard's throat. She hit her mark and smirked in satisfaction as skin parted under claws and fresh warm copper met her fingertips. He grasped at the shredded skin and released a gurgled scream, before crumpling to a disgusting heap. The skin head was on his hands and knees, with one hand on the wall trying to pull himself up. Max strutted over to him before digging her claws into the sides of his face and snapped his neck. Satisfaction rolled through her, she had protected herself and her friend, and her turf and now they were safe and those assholes were dead.

Reality slammed back into place forcing the bloodlust and primal satisfaction of her kill to dissipate like a fog.

Dead. _'Holy fuckin shit! Shit shit shit shit shit!'_

Breathing became laborious as Max's lungs threatened to close up, and her knees went weak leaving her trembling with the effort to stay up right. She just killed two people. In front of Rogue. Shit, Rogue!

Marie stared at Max as she breathed irratically on the sidewalk. Holy mother of God…Max had just gone feral. Right there, five feet in front of her, and now she was covered in blood. Rogue couldn't speak, she didn't know what to do, what the fuck did she _do? _She'd seen Logan go feral once, it hadn't been pretty, but it had been worse then this.

Hesitantly she crept forward, she didn't want to set Max off, she didn't think she would hurt her but she wasn't going to take the chance of being attacked. They had to get out of here then they'd figure out what to do. Rogue's skin flickered to life, just in case.

"Max… I –" she began.

"My, my, my, what a mess you two have made,"

'_Fuck.'_


	2. Wolf and Past

**Reviews are really needed if I'm gonna continue this. I need feedback people!**

Fuzzy, that's what everything was right now. Fuzzy and unfocused as she tried desperately to fight off the shock, the guilt, and the trauma. The surrounding air turned thick and cold, it felt like she was choking on it. Words sliced through the fog reaching her like a slap in the face. Amused, and interested yet detached like he wasn't surprised that she had just committed double homicide. Wait, he!?

The smell of pine and earth laced with a certain spice forced the world to right itself and her animal snapped its jaws with ears and tail erect. There was a new threat on the scene, and this one was much more dangerous.

Rogue looked Victor over mouth a gaping, before her eyes hardened and she moved to stand in front of Max her skin practically humming with power. She took advantage of the adrenaline high still in effect and addressed Creed with a steady voice.

"Whah do ya want?" she asked in a steely voice and mentally applauded herself for sounding braver then she felt. Victor grinned baring his fangs.

"What makes ya think I want anythin' Stripes? I was just takin' a stroll when I happened upon this interesting little setup, didn't know Wheels was creating little killers now." Rogue bristled.

"Ya don' know shit Creed. So just keep it moving and leave us alone, we don' want any more troub-" she couldn't even finish. Max was a blur as she sprung around Rogue and cleared the distance between them and Sabertooth with a snarl that would have done the Wolverine proud. Creeds smirk didn't even have time to vanish before Max's fist collided with his jaw and then her heel with one of his knees.

"Max!" Marie's voice cracked from her high pitched squeal. _What the fuck did she think she was doing?! Was she trying to get herself killed!? _

Snarls sounded and Max like out a yelp when Victor's claws made contact with her arm as he tried to ward her off. Bitch could hit hard for a frail. His blood warmed at the thought of a feisty female. Max didn't let up, he caught her elbow when it aimed for his face but missed her knee as it sunk into his stomach, but dodged the left hook she followed with. He pulled her close so she couldn't have space to rear back to land another hit. He growled and jerked his upper body back when her head surged forward and he K-9's snapped inches from his throat. Damn, what a scrappy piece of tail. He shoved her back towards Rogue who then clutched onto Max's arm.

"Max no! Please! Let's just go!" she begged planting her feet and bracing to hold her friend back. Max was still growling with her eyes glittering gold and she was still breathing heavy.

"Please just let us go home," Rogue begged Victor, bravado gone and a desperate tone laced her voice. She couldn't watch what might happen if the two continued their brawling. Just the thought make her feel sick, and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop them. Victor was growling to, and his claws had lengthened all the way. He knew exactly what was wrong with Max. He knew she was feral now and had seen her change before the guys had attacked them. Whether the girl wanted to admit or not she had already decided to kill them before they'd even rounded the corner. He saw himself when he was younger, the animal taking over at even the slightest hint of danger that came lurking around him and James. He saw a loose cannon. The girl was wild and unstable and had little to no hold over her animal. He wondered idly at Xavier's idiocy, having a wild child stuffed in a school filled with potential victims.

"You can't take her back like this," he told Rogue, as he tried to steady his own breathing and pull his animal back into its cage. Rogue held onto Max tighter. She knew he was right. When Logan would get even remotely agitated he couldn't be around anybody or they'd suffer the brunt of his aggravation, if someone crossed Max right not there's no telling how bad her reaction would be. She stared at Victor warily, knowing that she didn't trust him, and at the same time knowing he was probably the only one that knew what was going on. Her intuition told her Creed wasn't interested in brutally raping and hurting them right now. She put herself in front of Max with her back to Victor and stared earnestly into her eyes.

"Max, ah know you're freaked out but please, please just calm down so we can think this through okay? It's alright, he… he's not gonna hurt us, I think." Max looked from Victor to Rogue and took in her calming scent and her anxiousness. She forced herself to breathe slowly and close her eyes as she waged with her inner feral to calm down. Gold was replaced with silver and her body sagged with relief and exhaustion. She offered a small nod and looked back to the man standing opposite of them. He was like her she realized stupidly.

Victor watched as she reined herself in before turning his attention back to the carnage she'd created off the side. Amature work, he dully noted but not bad for someone barely out of her teens. She'd done what she had to too make sure that they didn't get hurt and he knew he would've done the same, just better. He walked over to the bodies before crouching next to the skin head, careful to keep his long coat out of the pool of blood. He could feel the girls eyes on him and smelled their nervousness in the air. He'd seen this skin head before.

"What are you gonna do?" Rogue whispered. He looked over his shoulder at them. Stripes was scared, but other one, Max, kept a cool expression and a unnatural calm came over her scent. So not her first kill then?

"Nothin," he rumbled. "Made a pretty clean kill for someone that lost their shit," he said fixing Max with an even stare. She held it for a moment before looking back at the body.

Creed dug through the skin heads pockets and pulled out his wallet and a piece of paper, some shitty little business card. He recognized the signature. His eyebrows furrowed, just what the fuck was going on here? There was no way she was in the business, was there?

"How'd you get tangled up with a mob boss frail?" Max's eyes widened and she stared at the bodies. Anxiousness swelled within her and her body felt like it was about to fold in on itself from the stress. Nervous fear the scent barely there unshed tears made Creed's nose twitch. Damn sniveling female creatures, the lot of them.

"Max?" Rogue was looking at her again with a mix of confusion and apprehension. Mob boss? What the hell?

Max shrunk under Rogue's gaze, something Max never did. She found Victor's piercing her trying to figure her out and piecing together what he knew. Max swallowed.

"I don't know how they found me…" she whispered to herself.

" What are you talking-" Rogue started. Max grabbed her wrist and started backing away. Victor stood up and inhaled her tantalizing scent. She was to interesting for her own good.

"We need to go. Thank you for your help Mr. uh…"

"Creed," Victor supplied. "I'll see ya again soon, frail," he grinned, showing both his fangs. No way he was gonna leave this alone, it held to many possibilities. Max immediately narrowed her eyes into a challenging glare. His entire demeanor set her on edge, but yet, he was so… fascinating. She was scared to death how soon his soon meant.

'_Can't wait.' _Her animal purred. Max frowned inwardly before pulling Rogue along at a brisk walk. By the time they reached the institute Max was exhausted, irritated and she was looking worse for wear. Rogue opened her mouth to demand some answers but Max cut her off.

"Tomorrow alright? I promise. I just, I need some space and we both need to sleep."

"Max, we… we have to tell somebody," Rogue whispered, eyes on the ground. Max inhaled. Tell somebody that she just killed to men in order to save them or tell somebody that some really dangerous and powerful people were after her?

"I know. In the morning we'll tell the Professor, but please... I need to be alone."

"Okay," Rogue said softly, taking her hands. " Ah don'… ah don' blame you… for what you did. If you hadn't… we wouldn't have made it back. You did the right thing and you're still my friend. I'll be with you every step of the way, Ah promise." Tears rushed to Max's eyes and she nodded before sliding into her room. She stood by the door while she listened for Rogue enter her room, but instead continued down the hall. Logan. Rogue wouldn't purposely tell him anything until morning but just the fact that she was going to him this would be enough to get him thinking. Max grabbed a duffle bag out from under her bed and began quickly stuffing clothes into it.

Silently she berated herself. Stupid, she was so _fuckin' stupid_. What had she expected? That she could just hide out here with this band of do-gooders and everything would just be peachy?

Daylight was closing in. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't put anyone else in danger, she had to leave.


	3. Wolf on the Run

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The morning sky was aflame with oranges and purple hues as Victor trudged out of his motel room and to his truck. The foul air stained with gas and smoke as well as other city smells made his nose twitch. God he couldn't wait to get away from this fuckin shit hole of a city. He threw his trench coat into the passenger seat before turning the key and letting the truck grumble to life before pulling out onto the highway.

He hadn't gotten any sleep last night, he'd gone and picked up the other half of his paycheck after he'd gotten rid of the shit heads that'd attacked Stripes and the Pup. Why he even lifted a finger and went through the trouble he still had no idea. Especially since the little cunt had tried to rip his throat out. Well maybe that was a lie. It wouldn't do any good for her to get picked up by the feds before he even got to see her again, which was bound to happen seeing as they played on opposing teams.

He couldn't help a small smirk at the thought of her. He'd never seen anything like her that was for damned sure. She wasn't a normal X-geek , that he was sure of. Her movements while not great due to lack of experience, had been practiced, and she'd been unaturely calm during the incident whereas poor Stripes nearly had heart failure. Part of him thought he was an idiot for just letting her go like that. Feral females are few and far in between, soft curves a pretty face didn't help her either.

Turning around and plucking her out of that fuckin school had crossed his mind, more then once; he could take her with him and show her a real good time. It was obvious she couldn't keep a lid on her animal, and since Stripes had snuck out outta the place with her, he was willing to bet his piece of shit brother wasn't even there to help coach the Pup through what was happening to her, not that he'd be much help. Too bad he hadn't found her first, he could think of a lot better things to teach her then just how to coincide with her inner animal.

_'Damn shame.'_ He thought to himself, but no matter he'd see her again.

Max hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder as she walked casually through the parking deck of the shopping center. The cab ride from the institute had been silent and guilt ridden and awkward. Not guilt ridden for killing the assholes that had been after her, but for running out on Rogue. They'd been best friends ever since Max had gotten to the institute, and it broke her heart to feel like she had abandoned her just like Logan does.

A sleek black corvette came into view and she circled it in thought. It wouldn't really draw attention no matter where she went since it wasn't to new.

_'A '92 maybe.'_ she thought to herself, and it probably didn't have an alarm system… plus she just liked the way it looked. A trait she inherited from her father who always preferred older more classical cars to the hot rods people were obsessed with today. She looked around to make sure she was alone and pulled a pocket knife from her boot and dropped her bag to flip open the blade. After sniffing the air to make sure no one was near, she slid the blade into the key hole and popped the lock.

Tossing her bag into the passenger seat she slid in a shut the door and admired the new interior and leather seats that definitely weren't original. She gave a slight smile and bent down to pop open the interior piece that covered the wiring under the steering wheel. She couldn't stop her mind from wandering back to her abandoned friend. Rogue would have liked this car too.

_'She'll be fine. She's got the others and the Professor, and_ Logan...' Speaking of the Badger, she really hoped he wouldn't get a mind to out his nose to the wind and come hunt her down. Hopefully they would respect her wish to leave and just stay put.The thought gave her little comfort but she forced herself to accept it and push it to the back of her mind. The wires slipped through her fingers drawing out a curse, she was definitely out of practice. She ginned in triumph when they finally sparked and the car roared to life, practically purring under her. She took off her tobbogan and shook her hair letting her ears pop up before backing out of her parking spot and chirping tires out onto the road. If she hurried, she could beat the morning traffic. As she drove her mind took a turn to the stranger in a long back coat and a cocky fanged smirk.

The hours ticked by as she distanced herself further and further from New York. Classic rock blared through the speakers and the sun had come out shining through the sun roof and putting Max in better spirits then she had been in a long time. God how she had missed driving. The windows were rolled down making her hair flutter and she resisted the urge to hang her head out of the window. The car handled the curves of the winding road like a boat slicing through water and begged for more as she kept a steady pressure on the gas pedal. Traffic was at a minimum on the long roads heading north. She'd been driving steadily for almost 48 hours. She thanked the lord she had a healing factor.

A sign appeared for a motel up the road. Max contemplated if she should rest up or try to push on. Her ass was long past being numb and her left foot was starting to fall asleep. She hadn't seen a soul in the last 300 miles but it didn't stop her from constantly checking out her mirrors for signs of anyone who had been sent to finish the job the two goons had failed to carry out.

Gravel crunched under the tires as she rolled the car into the parking lot. It didn't look like a complete shit hole, definitely wasn't no Hampton Inn either but it was better then the back seat. The corvette went quiet and she quickly pulled a red bandana from her bag to tie around her head. She ran her hands over the top to make sure her ears wouldn't be noticed before grabbing her stuff and walking into the office.

A skinny man with a striped shirt and a flyswatter was seated behind the counter. He ran his eyes shamelessly over her form and gave her a yellowed smile. She fought back a grimace and pulled out a small wad of bills.

"Just one?" he asked

"Yes jus' one," she answered dropping the money on the counter.

"Hard to believe someone would let such a helpless little girl travel by herself, you might get lonely," he leered sliding a key over. Max gave a hard smile and showed a hint of fang, leaving her hand on the counter longer a little longer then she should have so the man could see her claws which may be small but far from delicate. His eyes widened and he sat up a little straighter, his scent taking on a nervous edge.

"I don't mind bein' alone, and I'm far from helpless," and with that she sauntered out and went to find her room.

Later, after she'd washed the travel and weariness away she sat on the bed and rifled through her bag. She pulled put her small box and rifled through its contents. Pictures of her and Rogue made her heart sink, when nauseating feeling of guilt became to much she set them aside and picked up a set of dog tags. The pads of her fingers ran over then engraved metal. Her dad had been a marine serving four terms oversees, two of which he had been a part of a special-forces team. She picked up a picture of a man with her eyes and sandy blond hair nursing a cigarette and a beer. She remembered when she was left with her mother and he wouldn't be home for days. He'd been working, her mom had told her. He was released from duty the year she turned 6. It wasn't until she'd turned 13 that she finally figured out that her father's absence wasn't entirely military related, and that he wasn't working a regular 9-5.

She remembered the day she'd finally worked up the courage to ask him about it. He didn't even try to deny what he did for a living he said it was because he knew she would figure it out sooner or later. Her mother had been furious, then spent the next couple of hours crying at the kitchen table. Max tried to comfort her and told her that she still loved them.

Flashbacks rushed forward in blurs of color and pictures. Her first self-defense lessons in the back yard, nature skills, learning about cars, and the day she learned to shoot a gun. She remembered how proud her father looked when she made her first paper target explode. She'd been 8.

_"Look Dad! Perfect shot! Now I can hit the bad guys to!" He ruffled her hair and tweaked a fuzzy ear, a stern look replacing the smile he'd worn before._

_ "You ain't gonna shoot nobody little trooper. I'm only teaching you this in case you find yourself in a tight spot and have no other way to defend yourself ya hear? Now that's enough for today come over here and clean it like I showed you and let's get somethin to eat."_

She was 13 when they came to the house. Five men dressed in black and ski masks. Max and her parents were in the middle of eating dinner when the smoke bombs broke through the windows.

_Shattering glass cut her mother off from asking how her father to pass the salt. She screamed and shot up from her chair grabbing Max and throwing her arms over her to protect her. Her father pulled a pistol from its holder under the table before grabbing his wife's wrist and dragging them into the living room. The smell of gun powder and the gas scorched her nose and burned her eyes making them water. Bullets penetrated the house and tore holes through anything in their path. They made it to the back bedroom before her father was forced to turn and open fire as strangers infiltrated their home. Her mother threw open a trap door in the floor that Max had never seen before. Yells and her mother's sobs added to the fear and panic thumping in her ears._

_ She hadn't wanted to leave them, they had to stay together. She tore away from her mother and clung to her father's shirt. _

_ "Daddy please, I can help, please please don't make me go. Not without you and Mom." He handed the gun to his wife who took up his position and grabbed Max by her arms his grip fierce and commanding. She started to cry._

_ "Listen to me baby, I need you go through that door and get out of the house and make for the woods. Your Mom and I have to stay here. We won't let them get you okay? We'll meet you outside when this is over but I need you to get out and run. I promise we'll be right behind you. Don't stop no matter what okay? Promise me." He looked so scared. He'd always been a man of few emotions so his usual cool demeanor had come to be comforting but, she'd never seen him look like this. The gravity of the situation hit her full force._

_ "I promise," she said. He kissed her forehead hard before handing her off to her mother who pushed her through the door. Tears were streaming down her face and the smell of her fear overtook the smell of ammunition and blood._

_ "Whatever you do, don't scream and don't turn back okay? We'll find you." Then she was gone. The door shut and Max crawled as quickly as she could under the rest of the house. The shooting stopped when she reached the tree line followed by a sorrowful wail. Max skidded to a halt and turned to see her father being dragged out of the house sobbing and covered in blood. He was thrown to his knees in the yard, three of the five men were still alive and stood behind him. She couldn't hear what they were saying, she could only watch in horror as one raised his gun to the back of her father's head. A scream was lodged in her throat choking her._

_ Silver gray eyes met hers as her father mouthed the last word he would ever say to her._

_ 'Run.' The last gunshot echoed through the trees and her world shattered._

Max bolted awake a hoarse scream on her lips followed by a sobbing gasp as she tried to work air into her aching throat. She hadn't even realized she'd fallen asleep. She threw the blankets off of her sweating body and ran a hand through her hair. The dream hadn't visited her in some time, she was a fool to think she'd stop having completely. The clock beside the bed read 3:20 a.m. With a sigh she flopped back onto the bed and tried to calm her racing heart. She sighed and forced herself up and made her way to the bathroom. She couldn't sleep reeking of her own fear.


	4. Wolf and Temper

**Feedback Feedback Feedback!**

When Max woke up she was tangled in motel covers and felt the heat of sunshine on her face. With a yawn she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and quickly set about changing into a fresh pair of jeans and a purple long-sleeved t-shirt. She dumped the rest of her stuff back in her bag before pulling on her boots.

The fresh air was a welcomed change from the dingy smells of the motel. She smiled before setting a baseball cap on her head and returned her keys to the creepy man at the front desk. He said nothing to her this time and refused to meet her eyes.

The air had gotten colder and she shivered as she got into the car. She cranked it up to let the interior warm when she noticed a black SUV in her rearview. She narrowed her eyes at the vehicle. When she had gotten here she had been the only guest. Her animal growled in warning which was accompanied by a twist in her gut. Something wasn't right. Hulking black, suspicious SUV's with tinted windows were never right. She didn't even hear the hum of the corvette as she quickly pulled out of the lot and sped onto the road eyes glued to the rear view mirror.

Victor lit a cigar and took a long drag before letting his hand hang out the window. He would reach his hunting lodge in about another 12 hours and he pressed the old chevy to go faster. Through the passing wind he heard the growl of another car closing in on him from behind. His eyes flicked to his mirror. It was rare for anyone to be driving these roads. He turned his eyes back in front of him when the roar got louder, almost on top of him. He frowned in annoyance.

_'The fuck are they goin in such a hurry?' _He gave a slight growl in annoyance. He turned to watch the black car pass him when blue eyes clashed with steel grey making him almost drop his jaw open. Almost. Feminine bewilderment stared back at him with frightened surprise. The Pup from New York. She sped passed him and crossed over in front of him putting more distance between them. Well he'll be a son of a bitch.

Max wasn't so reserved in her reaction seeing as she was staring straight ahead with her mouth hanging open.

_'What the fu-!'_ Another SUV had appeared in the middle of the road ahead. Two men hopped put and dropped to their knees with automatic rifles blaring in her direction. Max screamed as bullets impaled the car and crushed the windshield, she swerved as blinding pain ripped apart her right shoulder and glass flew into her eyes. The squeal of tires and continuous gunfire followed her off the road and across the ditch as the right side of the car caught the embankment and flipped. She was still air born when the corvette connected with a trees jerking the world to a stop.

Her ears were ringing and black dots spotted up her vision. Breathing became impossibly hard with her own weight crushing her chest and she scrambled to right herself. Glass dug into her skin and she whimpered in agony as she clawed at the interior to get out of the broken window on the passenger side.

Blood oozed from her wounds everywhere and her shoulder was on fire. She crouched at the side of upturn car and pressed her hand to her wound feeling splinters of glass and- was that a bullet?! She fought back her tears and closed her eyes to take deep calming breaths. This was not the time to panic. Shouts and someone barking orders sounded from the road. It was more than enough to send her to her feet and get her ass a'movin'. Blood rushed in her ears, her hat had been lost in the tumble and she kept one ear turned towards her back to listen for any pursuers.

She trekked on for what seemed like hours leaning on trees for support and rolling over fallen logs. Cold wind stung her bruised and torn flesh through the rips in her clothes and her skins tried to stitch itself back into place. Her legs went numb from the cold and gave out, jostling her injuries injuries and making her grunt in pain. Fogginess crept in and the edge of her vision began to darken. She wasn't healing fast enough and she was loosing a lot of blood. She dropped onto her hands trying to will herself to stay awake. She felt the rise of panic in her animal as a phantom wolf barked and snarled at her to get her ass moving. Snarls turned to pleading whines which faded all together as darkness crept in. She managed to roll onto her back and watch the tree tops blend together. A shadow fell across her blocking out the setting sun. She growled weakly in warning. This was it. They'd found her, and now she was going to die.

_'Please… no. Not like this….'_

Victor flicked the blood from his claws in irritation. These fuckers just won't wanted the kid sure did want her bad. He snarled in agitated as he rolled his shoulder after his wounds knitted back together. These weren't amatures she had on her tail how's she even get into this mess. Glass crunched under his boots as he strided over to the wrecked car leaning down to look through the window. Empty. He straightened and put his nose to the air inhaling deeply. He couldn't help but chuckle. Even half dead the frail had crawled out and tried to get away. She was a fighter for sure.

She'd made it farther then he thought she would, leaving a blood trail so heavy that he wouldn't even need his heightened senses to find her. She was on her back in the leaves in a puddle of blood looking towards the sky with a dazed expression. He stood over her for a moment, watching in momentary fascination as she tried to heal. The gash above her eye was slowly closing, barely noticeable. She let out a pained whimper that bled into a soft growl. He smirked before kneeling next to her. Damned frail.

He scooped her up and cradled her against him, feeling her blood soak into his clothes. Her head rolled onto his shoulder and he knew she was out.

Just what he needed, he thought as he started back towards the road. She'd bleed all over the fuckin interior.

_'Ought'a leave your ass,' _he thought. He didn't, and he knew he wouldn't and to think he'd been considerin' stealin' her away only to have her fall right into his lap. He pulled her closer and inhaled her scent. Even covered in blood and dirt she smelled good enough to eat. To say he was pleased was understatement. He shifter her in his arms none to gently and briskly made his way back to his truck.

First thing she noticed when she came to was that she was hurtin like a mother fucker. And she was on something soft, and with cushions. A couch? She kept her eyes closed swiveled her ears around to see what she could hear. The t.v was on low, and someone was nearby rummaging around... in a kitchen? she could hear the clinking of utensils. The smell of cooking meat assaulted her senses and her stomach decided to make itself known groaning loudly in want. She cringed and knifed up onto her knees when a rough chuckle floated into the room.

"You'd better eat before that stomach of yers starts suckin' on your spine." Familiar throaty voice. Dark and sinfully sexy -sounding. Who did she know that had a voice like that?

Wearily she started to get up, letting the quilt fall off her shoulders as she took in her surroundings. It was fairly big for a cabin, at least that's what she assumed it was. The couch was big too and sat in front of a fire place below a flat screen t.v. A big leather arm chair sat off to the left and past it was a big open kitchen. His back was to her and he was loading a plate down with meat. Okay so she was in a cabin, in the middle of God-knows-where with a man who had a voice that awakened primal animal urges within her. This could either be good or be really really bad. She slowly stood up and felt air brush her legs.

"Where the hell are my pants?!" Victor chuckled again and turned to see her wrapping his quilt around her waist, a rosy hue dusting her cheeks. Never mind that the white tee-shirt didn't belong to her either.

"Threw 'em away, they were ripped all to shit. Wasn't bout to have you tracking blood all through the house." Max's blush darkened and she looked at the floor before glancing up at him through her lashes. Dark hair and mutton chops, strong attractive build – Oh _fuck!_

"Y-You!" She blubbered like an idiot earning an amused fanged smile. He raised both eye brows in a mocking gesture.

"Me." He grinned. Max's jaw worked stupidly trying to produce sound but nothing came out. _What the fuck was goin on?_

"Get over here and eat kid," Victor ordered when he was tired of her gawking. Max narrowed her eyes but hesitantly shuffled forward. She decided she must be crazy but she was starving and it smelled so good...

Her inner wolf snapped at her in warning drawing her out of her drooling state to watch Creed warily as he set a plate on the table in front of her. She sat down and didn't eat until he turned to pick up a beer off the counter. She tried to act civil and not stuff her face like she wanted to. She could feel his gaze hot and heavy on her as she ate, but for the moment, she didn't give a damn and it didn't squelch her appetite. When she finished she peeked up at him shyly around her hair.

"Uh... well... Thanks, for uh… for savin' me and stuff." She stammered, looking down at her plate. Her wolf frowned at her in her mind's eye for sounding so timid. Creed leaned against the counter and shrugged casually.

"Don't thank me yet frail," he grinned again making Max's eyes snap to his and slightly narrow, her hackles starting to rise. Victor took pride in her discomfort, she was smart to be edgy. He picked up his beer again and straightened.

"Got a name Pup?" Max swallowed.

"Call me Max," she said quietly. Victor raised an eye brow. "… Max Cooper," she finished and fixed him with an even stare probably daring him to make fun of her name. Hell he hadn't met anyone name Maxine since the damn 20's. Before he could tease her about it his brow drew together on another thought. Cooper… Cooper… familiar but he couldn't pin how he knew the name.

"You said your name was Creed… Yah never mentioned your first name." She continued shyly, he grinned

"Victor," he grumbled. God even his name made her feel fuzzy…

_'Stop it!'_ She scolded herself. Her animal rumbled in appreciation of the specimen before them. Max tried to shove down her wolf who had begun to pant excitedly. What the hell was wring with her?

"Those guys…"

"Ain't gonna hear from 'em again. Or at least not for a while."

"Oh…" She squirmed in her seat, uncomfortable sitting in front of a man she'd only met once and happened to be at a time she committed double homicide. Not to mention she'd tried to tear his throat out…

"Showers down the hall, second door on the right." Victor said when it was clear she wasn't going to say anything else and with that he picked up his bottle and headed out the back door. Max sat dumb founded for a moment. Shower would be nice but… she was very unnerved by the situation she was in. Any other person would have probably made a break for the door but she was pant-less and t was cold and she was covered in blood. Max sighed before standing up and heading down the hall.

The hot water did wonders on her sore muscles as she stood in the large glass shower. She ran her hands over her body lightly to make sure all of her wounds had healed. Her thoughts steered towards who's shower she was occupying picturing his muscled back and hulking physiche cooking her breakfast… Her face flamed when she saw his cocky grin and a blue eye- ah! Fuck! She growled to herself and fisted her hands letting her claws dig into her palms. She didn't even know him, and she could tell he wasn't a nice guy. Her animal growled in annoyance and told her to quit denying her attraction and to loosen up and have some fun. She shook her head and turned off the shower. She needed to get the hell of here.

Thankfully, Victor had grabbed her bag from the wreckage but it was riddled with glass so she couldn't wear her clothes until she shook them out and washed them. She'd worry about that later. In the bottom she found some black leggings that looked like they had been spared and a clean bra. She tugged Victor's shirt back on and pulled her hair into a bun atop her head.

Victor turned the t.v back up when he heard the bathroom door open and her booted footsteps inch closer to the back of the sofa. She'd try to leave, he knew. It went without saying that he wasn't about to let her go anywhere. He turned his head to see her standing there in his shirt and some leggings and cowboy boots with her bag over her shoulder.

"Just where do you think you're goin' Pup?" Max's limbs locked up and her heart stuttered, her animal letting out a rumbling growl. Her ears twitched in uncertainty and she mentally shook herself and stepped forward with determination and squared her shoulders to try and look bigger and more confident then she felt.

"I'm leavin-", she began.

"The fuck you are," Victor growled cutting her off. Max let out an answering growl and stood up straighter, ears forwards to give a dominant look.

"Look I apprec-," he didn't let her finish.

"Do you even know where you are? Striking out on your own when you got no fuckin clue where you're at ain't to fuckin smart." Max growled louder, the sound distinctly K-9 and forced herself not to shrink back when he rose of the sofa.

Victor tried not to laugh. The Pup was puttin on a good front but he could smell her anxious fear surrounding her like a cloud. He saw the way she'd been sneaking glances while she ate, the same look she'd given him at the bar when he'd first seen her before her instincts had taken over and made her skittish.

"You can't fuckin' keep me hear," she suddenly snarled.

Max nearly flinched at how pissed off she sounded. Who the fuck did he think he was? She started to tremble with rage when he circled around the couch, and amused look spreading across his handsome face. He looked so dark and dominating- _Godamnit_! She had to get him the fuck out of her head. Was it time for her period? Was it her heat talking? She's never felt like this before.

He drew her attention again when he moved closer and her fury returned full force, pushing her confusion to the back of her mind. Her was animal slamming and snarling against its mental cage as she felt her eyes bleed yellow. She dropped her bag so it couldn't hinder her and she quickly moved back to get some distance. She didn't know what was going on but she wasn't gonna let him stop her from doing what she needed to do. Victor smirked and advanced again only for her to back up and circle the couch.

"Goin' some place darlin'?" he taunted. She actually snapped her teeth at him, and snarled like the rabid wolf she was. Victor was silently overjoyed, the thought of forcing her to the ground all snarling and spitting mad made his blood run hot and lust to sing through him. Grey eyes had gone gold and hard and her hair even though contained had gotten slightly bigger. She was a sight.

"Doesn't take much to send you over the edge does it? My what a temper, no wonder you got blood on yer hands," He jabbed at her again. Max's thoughts raced and her hatred climbed higher.

"Fuck you!" She spat, her voice barely recognizable through her growls. She wanted him on the floor, soaked in blood and pain. She wanted to rip that fuckin smirk right off his face and feel his skin part under her claws. He stepped forward again his own dangerous growl vibrating between them, and she saw red. That's when all kinds of hell broke loose.


	5. Wolf and Compromise

**Sorry y'all I know it's been a while, but hear ya go! Lemme know what you think.**

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Max's cheek was pressed against Victor's half-naked chest when she came to. Her wolf rumbled and stretched trying to nuzzle her way inside his skin into the layers of muscles underneath. It'd been a long time since anyone's really touched her, much less held her. It was… nice, until she remembered who it was that was doing the holding.

Her chest began to vibrate as she picked her head up more to glare into the face of a smirking Victor Creed who had her anchored against him and had both of his arms wrapped around her. Despite the cocky look, she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was none too pleased.

"Ready to go another round baby girl?" he growled mockingly, tightening his arms till he was almost crushing her.

She gasped as her ribs threatened to give way under the pressure. She growled and tried began to struggle making Victor's growling almost become a groan.

"Mmm, that feels _nice_ darlin'. Keep it up and I might forgive you for destroyin my fuckin' house." The last part came out as a snarl and Max went still, opening her mouth to retort until something white floated along the edge of her vision.

'_Is that a feather?'_ Max craned her head around as much as she could to take in what had once been a masculine but comfortable living room, and had now become a warzone. Ripped cushions littered the floor, feathers were air born and drifting about the space. The coffee cable had been splintered, the large arm chair was overturned and bleeding stuffing. A book case was in pieces on the ground, and there were slash marks all on the walls and in the hardwood floor. She recognized some of the shallower ones as her own, but the deeper, longer, more sinister ones she knew to belong to her captor whose wonderfully strong warm arms she was wrapped in on the floor. Broken pictures of the scuffle came back to her, she knew she hadn't been in control. The animal had taken over again.

'_Oh, shit.'_ She thought to herself.

'_**Oh but it was so fun, and so worth it.'**_ Her animal purred back. _'Oh will you just shut the fuck up!'_ she roared at herself. Fatigue swept over her, and without a thought she dropped her head onto Victor's chest with a thump. She was on her back before she could blink with her wrists pinned overhead and Victor laying full body on top of her with his hips between her legs.

Panic jolted her back into awareness. Panic of being pinned down by a larger very _male_ force that set her heart to thumping and her breathing to go shallow. She's never felt this way before. She didn't know how to handle it.

"C'mon Pup, we're just getting started," Victor taunted and rolled his hips against her.

Fear. Definitely fear, she was scared, as scared as she had ever been in a long time. Scared of what he had in mind for her and that she had pushed him to far. Against him she was no match.

The fight had nearly sent him into overdrive. The urge to cut her and sink his teeth into her neck and make her submit to him was almost overwhelming. Oh, he wanted her, bad. She was his, he'd known it as soon as she diced up those assholes in the city. The first frail he'd met in a long time with the balls not to let him walk over her, and the steel frame of mind to take him. She'd just proven it.

The tangy scent of fear wafted through his excitement and he zeroed in on her face. She was looking away from him presenting her neck in a sign of submission. He knew the act was lost on her, she was a kid with brawn but all in all she was still just a kid, and she didn't know what the hell she was doing. The realization caused the grin to slip from his face.

"I'm… I'm sorry, please… please don't…" she said lowly. Victor eyes narrowed in irritation. He usually enjoyed the smell of fear on a female, but this one was different. This one was no coward yet here she was practically groveling to him on his floor. He snarled and got in her face. Time to lay down the ground rules.

"Look at me." He demanded. Soft grey eyes turned to cold blue, her unshed tears making them glow. He started growling again.

"Here's how this is gonna work. Yer gonna stay here with me. Yer gonna do what the fuck I tell you to when I fuckin' tell you to do it. Yer not gonna piss me off, and yer not gonna wreck my fuckin' pad. You're mine as of today. Clear?"

Max blinked. His? _HIS!_ Anger rose back full force and the spot between her eyes brows got tight as pressure started to build behind it.

"What…?" She breathed. Victor rolled his eyes.

"You lost that fuckin mutt hearin' of yours frail? You. Are. Mine," he punctuated each word by tightening the hold on her wrists until the bones grinded together.

"What part of th-"

"I fuckin' heard you asshole!" The words were out of her mouth before she could even stop them. She was really starting to doubt her own intelligence, but there it was, she'd started, no use in stopping now.

"What makes you think you can fuckin abduct me and then man-handle me all over the Godamn place and then sit there and lay claim to me, huh? I'm nobody's fuckin' lap dog! I got a lot of shit goin on-"

_Wham!_ She saw stars, and the back of her head bounced off the floor. Her vision swam before and she blinked and shook head until Victor's scowling face came back into focus. Did he just… did he just head butt her?!

"You sorry son of a-," _Wham!_

"I can do this all day doll but yer startin' to piss me off." Max groaned until she felt a massive hand grab her chin and force her eyes to his.

"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, I think we know which way I would prefer. So I suggest you shut the fuck up and listen you ungrateful little cunt or you can spend the afternoon with yer head bouncing off the floor." Fear was slowly starting to overcome anger again.

"Seein as I just saved yer worthless ass, got shot up and dragged your bleedin' carcass all the way up here, I'd say you owe me. Not to mention the domestic dispute you just dished out. You are mine. In every way until I say otherwise. And if yer nice I might just get these mob fuckers off your ass and if yer _real_ nice I might fuck you into oblivion. Get me?"

Max's eyes were wide with alarm. He can't be serious right? She didn't like this, not one bit, but a sinking feeling in her gut told her she didn't have much of a choice. On the other had… he'd get rid of the mob? The thought of not having to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder scared she'd catch a bullet to the back of the head had its merits.

Oh God. She wasn't considering this was she? The dude was crazed obviously, but … but he was like her. Max wasn't stupid, her animal was getting harder to keep a lid on. She knew was she was feral but she didn't know a lot about _being_ feral. The only one she had ever know was Logan, who was hardly around, if she wanted to outlive the trouble that constantly darkened her doorstep she was gonna have to get a handle on her feral nature.

'_Fuck it,'_ she inwardly declared. Her wolf perked its ears and wagged its tail, obviously delighted. She sighed in defeat. She was sure of it now, she'd totally lost it.

Victor waited, he could see the light was dawning. He tensed, she looked like she had something to say, he tried in vain to keep his anger in check.

"Okay," Max gasped out. Victor took his hand from her face and settle his weight on his forearm beside her.

"Okay, I get you but-" Victor snarled

"Obviously you don't-"

"I do! I get it! You want me to stay here and not give you a hard time," she gushed. He grinned pressing his pelvis farther into her.

"That ain't all baby girl," he purred. Max's face lit up in a blush.

"I'll do what you say, but I have conditions-"

"You don't have a fuckin' choice!" He half roared, pissed off all over again. Apparently she wasn't so smart.

"Please just listen!" she begged. Victor stilled above her.

"I'll do it. I will, but I want help with my mutation." He cocked his head. He was planning on helping her with it anyway, she'd be useless if she didn't have some idea how to use her senses.

"And you can't treat me like shit, especially the way you just did" she spit out. He growled.

"And you can't… force yourself on me," she finished. The last part made him bark out a laugh. Yep she was a keeper. He sobered at her slightly pouty expression. She didn't know what he found so funny.

"Alright frail, seein as I always take care of what's mine condition one and two are a no brainer, you keep that smart ass mouth of yours closed and do like you're told it won't be an issue. As for the third, I ain't gonna rape ya girly," Max sagged in relief under him only to go tense once more when he leaned forward to nuzzle her neck and then up to purr in her furry ear.

"But I will make you ask for it. I'm gonna wind you up so bad that you'll beg me to fuck that tight little pussy of yours _raw_," he rasped. Max fought down a tremor as his breath ghosted over her sensitive ear.

'O_h dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear.'_

"Deal?" She croaked. Victor chuckled again, leaning back to look at her face.

"Get this shit cleaned up," he ordered. And his weight disappeared. Max sat up slightly dazed to catch his backside saunter into the kitchen towards the fridge.

God help her.


	6. Wolf and Good Morning

**Okie dokes here we are. Ya'll keep those reviews coming please. They inspired a lot of inspiration for me to write as much as I can as soon as I can. Don't expect all these chapters to keep coming this fast though.**

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So… warm. Max gave a half-awake dreamy smile and burrowed more into the mass of firm warmth on her side settling herself deeper into the covers. She felt strange… she was extremely content, and extremely pleased. Waking up had never felt so… pleasant. She pressed herself against it more. Her wolf was in her mind's eye rolling around on her back and making odd noises of happiness with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

Max's leg worked itself up and intertwined with more warmth, and there was a weight around her waist that tightened. The feeling of being fully enveloped by something was exquisite, and she gave a soft groan of approval.

Such a feeling was foreign to her. Her parents had loved her as a child, and they told her so every chance they got. Although they were loving and doting they weren't… physical. If course she got hugs every now and then on certain occasions but she hadn't been cuddled much when she was little, or carried. Her and her father would play fight but to her that didn't really count. Then after they died she'd been on her own until she'd been picked up by the X-men.

She remembered the awkwardness of her first embrace when she got to the mansion. Keeping herself company for the last 5 years had made her people shy and skittish, taking the whole "lone wolf" thing she had going on to a whole new level. Ororo had hugged her in welcome, and Max had locked up with such a look of panic at being touched that it was actually Logan who took pity on her and showed her to her room.

But this… this felt wonderful.

A raspy chuckle sounded from above her, that she felt as much as heard. Max's eyes popped open, her bubble of pleasantness was instantly popped and replaced with dread.

"Yer awfully sweet in the mornin' frail, and I ain't even fucked ya yet," Victor rumbled and leaned down to nuzzle an ear. He'd been rather pleasantly surprised when he woke up to find her pressing against his side all pretty curves and soft skin. He couldn't say he was surprised, it was in her nature to want to lay on top of any heat source with a heartbeat. He wasn't expecting to wake up being cuddled though, especially after what he'd had to do to get her in here.

"_I am not sleeping with you!" she cried, exasperated and embarassed. She'd come from a conservative family, or at least conservative in that way… she wouldn't do it. _

_Victor gave an agitated growl. It was the day after their dispute, and he had just got back after being gone for the night to go hunting and work off the frenzy she put him in. He also left to be out of her way while she repaired the damage they'd done leaving her with firm threats that if she stepped so such as a toe outside the door he'd gut her and hang her on the porch railing to dry. Now he'd just told her it was bed time._

"_Yer fuckin up yer part of the deal frail," he warned. She narrowed her eyes. She'd said she'd do as he wanted in exchanged for him making her safe and help with her mutation._

"_It'd be better it I stayed on the couch, I snore and I hog the covers," she said taking a step back. He laughed at that. She was getting in that bed if he had to drag her in by one of those cute little ears. He'd confiscated her hats and toboggans so she couldn't hide under them. She'd been upset and walked around for hours with her ears pinned against her head, obviously uncomfortable. The first steep to getting in tune with her animal was for her to except all her animal traits, both physical and mental._

"_Well then maybe I should sleep on top of you to keep too warm." _

_Max inwardly groaned there was just no reasoning with this guy. She'd never slept with another person before, especially a man. Her ears had branded a freak and had put off many advances of the opposite gender. She stiffened when Victor stepped forward._

"_Either get yer ass in that bedroom and get in that bed or I'll drag you in there and make you sleep naked," he threatened. Max paled. She was in another one his large shirts and a pair of boy-shorts since he'd destroyed her leggings in the scuffle and she was still trying to salvage her clothes from the wreck. She could tell by his face that he took as much pleasure in her discomfort as he did in the thought of forcing her into bed._

_She squared her shoulders and perked her ears, determined to appear unfazed. She wouldn't cower in front of him and give him the satisfaction of knowing how nervous she was, although she was pretty sure he had a good idea since her anxiety practically perfumed the room and followed her all the way to the bedroom. None the less her pride wouldn't allow her to give into it. So she went her nightly routine and best as she could while trying to ignore him._

_After she brushed her teeth (with his tooth brush) and climbed into bed she settled herself as far to the edge as she could only to squeak in dismay when he settled behind her and pulled her back to his naked chest._

_Sweet baby Jesus, she didn't think he was wearing pants._

"_Relax," he'd rumbled. If she was going to be here she'd have to start getting used to him and his touch, something he'd rather be sooner than later. If he let her go about her way it'd take a year to get her to come to him. This way her fear of him would be settled quicker if she learned that his touch didn't always mean pain and unpleasantness even if she was smart to expect it. It was hours later before she fell asleep, and after he'd stopped her numerous attempts to face him, giving into the natural instinct not to have a predator at her back._

Max tried to lean away from his attentions on her ears. She didn't like it when he touched them, it made her extremely uncomfortable. That and what he was doing felt unnervingly nice. He tightened his hold and leaned into them more. She flattened them against her head and unwound her leg from his, putting a hand on his chest and pushing.

Victor grumbled in annoyance and plastered himself against her, his greater weight forcing her on her back and he settled over top of her.

"Don't think you really wanna start with me so early in the morning frail," he warned. Max shuddered. The urge to press against him and rub her body along his was very tempting. She could smell her own scent sweetening and she fought to get a grip on the situation. She whimpered and turned her head, beginning to struggle. There was too much of him, she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Victor's head swooped in to press his teeth against her throat when she gave him an opening. She was scared, but he was starting to think that it wasn't entirely of him. The smell of her told him part of her was accepting to what he'd been doing but the other part, the more human part, was terrified of what she was feeling because she didn't understand it.

Max froze under him. Her body locked up involuntarily and her animal whispered in her mind not to move. A new wave of fear washed over her and Victor heaved a sigh in aggravation before picking his head up and looking into her face.

Why he didn't just fuck her and get it over with, was beyond him. He would never admit it aloud, but age was helping to settle the desire for blood and mayhem. Must be his age catching up with him. Or it could be that he knew it would be so much better if she was wanting and willing. He planned to have her around for a long time, the thought of the two of them battling each other until the end of their days was not appealing. She'd learn to like what he did to her if he had to hold her down every day and make her. He said he wouldn't rape her what more did she want?

"I ain't gonna hurt'cha pup, but this is part of the deal to so you'd better get used to it."

That's exactly what she was afraid of.

'_**Quit your bitchin' and let us enjoy a little pettin' in peace. You're worse than a nun for fuck's sake.' **_Max almost blinked in surprise. Her alter-ego had spoken to her before, but never so ferociously unless she was in some dire circumstance. Usually she was just a shadowy presence that stalked along the edge of her consciousness.

Max gulped and held his gaze, the last thing she wanted to do so piss him off. Especially this early after he just got up, and it probably wouldn't help that he hadn't eaten either.

"_Men are like Grizzly bears, " _her grandmother had told her once. _"They sleep, they eat, and they shit. You wanna appease a Grizzly bear, the best thing you can do is feed him until he's lazy and then fix him a place to nest."_ Oh how she missed that surly old woman sometimes.

She was brought back to the present when she felt Victor's whiskered cheek against her collar bone. The action reminded her of when she would see cats bump up against things. He sure was affectionate in the morning.

'_**That's him putting his scent on us. Turn your head to the side and yield.'**_

Instinct guided her to do as she was bid, and so she complied without question, and forced her body to law under his.

Victor rubbed his face in the crook of her neck and ran his hands along her sides. The feel of her generous curves through his shirt was mouth- watering, a soft rumbling noise emanated from his chest as he took advantage of her relaxed state to settle between her legs. She still smelt nervous, but she didn't tense up. It was a start.

"Mm, ya feel good frail, real good," he rumbled in that deep scratchy voice.

Max tried to squash the urge to arch under Victor's ministrations, having someone's hands on her was feeling way too good. Her lips parted when he ran his claws lightly down her thigh before running his calloused hand around the sensitive back of her knee and bringing a long leg to wrap around his waist. He wouldn't take her, not yet, he wanted her _need it,_ but damn if she wasn't making it difficult. He moved up wards toward her ear again.

"Ar-are you hungry?" Max squeaked out, trying to make her ears disappear into her hair. Victor chuckled and backed off to give her some space, he would make her stop being so self-concious of those ears if it was the last thing he did.

"Stop that," he said. She blinked.

"Stop what? Offering to cook you breakfast?" Victor rolled his eyes.

"Yer ears, stop pinnin 'em back like that," he said reaching out with a clawed hand to finger a pointed tip.

Max made a noise that sounded daringly similar to a distressed whimper. What was it with him and her ears? Why couldn't he just leave them alone?

"I can't help it, quit messin with them," she said bravely. He grinned.

"What if I don't wanna?" he asked and began to lean in closely again, running his lips along the outer part. He heard her inhale sharply and a wicked thought occurred to him. He gave an experimental nibble, teasing a small part of the thin flesh gently with just his fangs.

A flash of heat rushed down her spine and the softest moan escaped parted lips before she could stop herself.

'_Oh no.'_

'_**Oh yes,' **_the other part of her purred. Victor leaned back with a teasing smile.

"As good as you sound pup, and as good as you smell, yer right, I am hungry," he said before unwinding her leg and hopping off the bed.

"Eggs and sausage are in the fridge, I'm takin a shower," he said over his shoulder while walking towards the bathroom.

He was actually interested in what her cooking was like, she was southerner after all if that sexy little twang in her voice was any indication, and he'd yet to meet anyone from the south that couldn't cook.

Max laid on the bed dazed.

"I'd get to it, unless that is, you'd care to join."

She was up and down the hallway in a flash, his mocking laughter flowing her into the kitchen.


	7. Wolf gets Ballsy

Max put the pan in the sink and let the cold water run over it before turning back to her coffee mug and wiping the counter down with a rag.

'_This domestic shit is for the birds,' _she thought to herself walking past Victor's piled plate of sausage and eggs. She'd left the meat a little on the raw side since she was used to cooking for herself. If he didn't like it, that was too bad. He should have told her how he wanted his food instead of molesting her in bed.

'_**You liked it,"**_ a voice sneered from the back of her head. Max frowned as she walked out onto the back porch to sit on the steps in the sun.

'_No you liked it. You've been unusually chatty this morning,' _she returned. Professor Xavier had told her that the best way to coincide with her animal had been not to talk back to it when it addressed her. The poor man had gone white when he'd entered her mind only to be mentally and verbally attacked by the figurative being that kept guard there before being forced out. The look on his face had been amusing but she gave her apologies all the same.

'_**Well someone has to guide you through this shit fest you've landed yourself in. If you wanted to be of sounder mind then you shouldn't have forged a gap between us to begin with.'**_

'_That school was no place for you to run wild in. If I would've given you free reign we'd be right back where we started, on the streets! It might've been fine with you but it wasn't for me.'_

'_**And being shut up in that school did us a lot better. You nearly got us killed and now you've saddled us with an Alpha that won't let us so much as take a shit without his say so.'**_

Why she was sitting here arguing with herself was beyond her. She sighed and supposed she should be great full, even if she only had herself at least she didn't feel like she would have to figure out this thing with Victor alone. She loathed to admit it but she had no idea what the hell was going on, her baser instincts were her only guide to navigating through this mess.

'_You certainly seemed to like him well enough an hour ago,'_ she mused.

'_**Of course I did. He's the only male that you've let within 50 feet of us! If you didn't act like such a ninny there wouldn't be all this sexual frustration to deal with!'**_ her animal snarled.

'_I don't feel any sexual frustration,'_ she replied blandly.

'_**Well no shit! That's because I'm the one that's been holdin' it back!'**_

Max frowned.

'_Why would you do that? I thought you were mad at me.'_

'_**Because you flamin' idiot I have enough to worry about you fuckin' up without havin' you strut around like a bitch on heat. I've saved you from quite a bit of pain ungrateful bitch!'**_

Max frowned harder, becoming increasingly more confused. Exactly how much did she not know about herself? And why didn't anyone have the decency to tell her?!

'_**Maybe because nobody knows dip shit, how many other ferals have you ever seen much less known? And how many of them have been female?'**_ She had a point.

'_**Even I don't understand how it works just that it's uncomfortable as hell. But all that aside, what's your game plan for the Alpha?'**_

'_Alpha?'_

'_**For fuck's sake, Creed, dumb ass!' **_She was getting tired of this mental abuse.

'_I don't know, but quit fuckin' talkin' to me like that! I run this outfit not you! Not until I say you do! I'm sick of feeling like I'm tearin' in two, and I'm sick of fightin' with you! You were right, Xavier didn't give us the help we needed but maybe Victor gets what's goin' on. I don't know what I'm doin' but Godamnit I'm trying to get us put back together, that's what you want isn't it? So either help me get through this or sit back and shut the fuck up!' _

She was breathing heavier after raging at herself but, strangely she felt a little better. The presence in her mind was quiet before it busted out laughing. Maybe she really was going crazy.

'_**There's that old spark I've missed so much. You're right I'm sick of being cooped up in here, but you better listen up 'cause I'll only say this once. You're gonna have to grow a pair, I'll be damned if I allow some hot-shot male walk all over me. We are NOT a coward, I can't believe you let him push us around as much as you did! Never the less you can't push him to far either, you have to be smart for both our sakes. I f you die I die and I ain't goin in the ground until we rip out the throats of those fuckers that killed our family.'**_

Max physically nodded. Her father taught her she didn't have to take anyone's shit especially a man's because he thought he thought he had the upper because she was a girl. She'd been born and raised a fighter, and she was ashamed to admit she'd been doing a piss poor job of showing it. Instead of running he would have told her to make a stand and kill those assholes for so much as looking at her the wrong way.

Angry resolve washed over her. How could she have almost forgotten who she was? She hardly recognized herself now. God he and Mom and especially Grandma would be so disappointed.

'_**Save the pity party for later darlin' you need to focus on the issue at present.'**_

'_Right. So, what should I do?'_ Her animal was silent again. Good God if she'd just endured all that for her to sit here and not know-

'_**For now, let's stay alive. Creed's been playin' nice so far but don't be stupid and let your guard down. He hasn't really hurt us but he is not somethin' to fuck with ya hear? We'll take it a day at a time but you've GOT to start listenin' to me. You might find yourself in a position where I'm the only thing that can save your rotten neck. If it boils down to a fight you let ME handle it. You don't have the skill to take him on your own, the only thing we've got is our healin' factor which you better start takin' car of. I got this feeling we're gonna need it.'**_

Max silently agreed. Alright, that settled it, the game was on. Energy flowed through her like she hadn't felt in a long time. It was either her new resolve or trying to be closer to her animal. Either way she was ready, she'd put this off for far too long, it was past time to get down to business.

Victory curiously sniffed the food on the table. He didn't think the frail was stupid enough to try and poison him but he'd rather not spend the next two hours puking his guts out. Just in case she was a little pissed about almost succumbing to his manly charms earlier.

He quietly snickered to himself.

Speaking of the frail, where the hell was she? He followed her scent to the back door and saw her on the top step with the morning sun shining off her dark hair. She was a pretty thing he figured. He stepped forward only to stop and shift through the new smells surrounding her.

Resolve, determination, a faint layer of anger, and acceptance laced with something a little… wilder. She'd been thinking, and apparently conversing with her inner feral.

'_Ah shit,'_ he swore to himself. He had a feeling he was about to get pissed.

"What the hell did I tell you about steppin' outside of this house?" he asked coming through the door. Max turned to regard him calmly over her shoulder.

"You said not to step outside while you were _gone_. I didn't know the rule applied to while you were here. I like to be outside, it's soothing. You can't expect me to stay cooped up in the house all day," she replied calmly. He growled.

"You'll stay wherever the fuck I tell you to, smart ass."

"Better to be a smart ass then a dumb ass," she said daringly. She wasn't going to him bully her into giving up one of the few things that brought her peace.

Wrong thing to say.

She was jerked up by the back of her neck before he slammed her against the rail of the porch, teeth bared inches from her face. Well fuck.

"It's still too early for you to be dishin' out sass pup. Don't write a check your ass can't cash," he snarled. Her fear was satisfying, and she surprised him with her own growl, the rims of her irises flashing gold. Conversing with her inner feral indeed. Looks like little she-wolf was waking up.

"It's too early for you to try and man-handle me all over the back porch," she snarled back. He tightened his grip on her throat. Who the fuck did she think she was?

"I'll man handle that sweet little ass of yours all up and down this fuckin' property of I feel like it. Yer cute frail, but not cute enough to get yer way out of an ass whoopin' if I have mind to give ya one so DON'T. TEST. ME," he finished with a roar. Her fear intensified but with it came anger.

She kept growling, she scared shitless but she'd die before she showed it. She was riding high off her little pep-talk to herself. If he thought he could slam her around her around and then expect her to take it he had another thing coming.

'_**Idiot! What'd I just say about being smart?! You'd better learn to pick and choose your battles, so far you're off to a shit start.'**_

'_I got this! You said not to let him push us around, and that's what I'm doing.'_

'_**I meant when you had a chance of winning you fool!'**_ Max's growls increased and she dug her nails into Victor's arm.

"I did as you said, I didn't leave the house when you left, and I didn't. I figured it'd be fine since you were just inside. Take your hands off me! You're violating the conditions of the deal."

"That bullshit deal doesn't exist if I say it doesn't. We do things my way."

"If that's the case, I'm gone! Take your fuckin' hands off me!" Max screamed in his face. Victor brought her off the rail only to slam her against the wall of the house. She grunted when the breath was forced out of her lungs.

"You ain't goin any fuckin' place unless I tell you. I already told you you're _mine._ We're the same frail, which is a fuckin miracle in itself, and if you think I'll just let you walk away then you're a lot more stupid then I pegged you for."

She glared murderously at him and he couldn't help but admire her. The girl had brass ones, he'd give her that. He pressed his hips against hers and leaned in. She could feel the stiffness through his sweat pants.

"Gets me hard how wild you are right now baby girl," he rumbled in a low voice. "You best believe nothin' would make me happier then to bend you over that rail and fuck you 'till you _howl._ But do not make the mistake of thinkin' your cunt won't be just as sweet if the rest of you is in pieces."

Max fought to gain her footing. She had no doubt his words rang true, but she had needed to see how far she could push him. Apparently not far. She lowered her gaze and slowly released his arm, watching the holes reseal out of the corner of her eye. He could heal faster than her, but not by much, if she started eating right she would be even closer. She forced herself to relax and quietly waited.

Victor snorted.

"This is yer last free pass little girl, next time I won't be so generous," he said removing his hand but bracing it on the wall beside her and outing his face in her neck. Without hesitating he bit down into muscle and she gasped and whimpered loudly trying to get away from him. He caught her arms and pinned them on the wall before going still.

Soon her struggles ceased when she accepted there was no escape, he had her and she'd have to wait him out.

When he finally let her go, her knees were weak and she watched him lick her blood from his teeth as her body repaired itself.

"Don't forget your place pup," Victor warned. "Now get cleaned up and get dressed. We're going to get you some clothes."

She blinked stupidly before slowly nodding and sliding past him with her eyes down. Victor watched her disappear into the house and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He reached down to re-adjust his pants.

'_Damn.'_


	8. Wolf and Shopping

**Feedback is most welcomed!**

* * *

Hell. She was in pure God forsaken hell. Victor looked on impatiently as Max practically pressed her nose against the window, making fog on the glass as she watched people mill about and around each other to and fro the large shopping center. She was in another one of his long sleeve tee-shirts and her own pair of jeans that were still wearable.

So many people. She could smell them from here, couldn't they just forget the whole thing and go home? Wasn't she supposed to be in hiding anyway?

'_Home,'_ she inwardly scoffed. She could feel Victor's irritation mounting behind her and his knuckles were almost white on the steering wheel. He'd been in a foul mood ever since they'd started their 2 hour journey down the mountain where his house was. Max had taken to ignoring his brooding presence since the incident that morning and instead steadied the landscape as they passed. If she had to make a run for it it'd help to have some idea of where she was going.

"You gonna' get out or are we gonna sit here all fuckin' day?" Her animal bristled at his tone when she turned to look at him and tugged her toboggan further down her forehead. All traces of early bravado gone replaced with uncertainty and foreboding. She guessed she should be great full he'd relinquished his hold on it for their little outing.

"Sorry," she muttered. Victor snorted at lack of temper and shouldered open his door leaving her to scramble out and met him at the tailgate of his truck. She followed him to the door of the mall watching as people shuffled quickly out of his way and gave him a wide berth.

Max was at his heels, almost on top of his impending form, content to have him lead through the swarm of humans. She was anxious and uncomfortable, but she was kind of glad he was here. The smells and noise played havoc with her senses threatening to crush her. God how could he stand it? He acted like nothing was going on around him!

Victor glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Frail looked like she was ready to bolt any second. Her slight panic was amusing and he could see her ears twitching about in distress under their cover trying to keep track of what was going on around her. He vaguely felt the brush of one of her boots on his heel and rolled his eyes upwards.

Max started when Victor seized her elbow and wrapped it around his forearm. He was still aggravated but now slightly amused.

"Relax, frail. Focus on blockin' it out," he said. She caught their reflection as they passed a store window. They could almost pass for a normal couple.

She closed her eyes as they walked and tried to turn the volume down in her head. God she felt like she was going to be sick. All the information swarming into her brain was nauseating. She unconsciously leaned her head against his arm. Winter green and earth, now she _was_ glad he was here. The man was sinfully terrifying and an asshole but he was the only semblance of balance in this chaos.

"Why is this so miserable?" she griped. Victor chuckled.

"Yer just not used to it. It shouldn't be so hard for you, seeing as you were surrounded by by hordes of stinkning, screamin' brats not too long ago."

Max inhaled more deeply, determined to focus on the smell of him and deepness of his voice. It was better, everything else was slowly fading to the back of her mind.

"I tried to only be around when I had to go to class. Rogue and I stayed in the teacher's wing, so it was relatively quiet," she answered. She opened her eyes when he steered her into a store and lead her over to an armchair situated in front of the dressing rooms and released her.

"Go find what you want," he said as he sat down. She just stood there and glanced around nervously. The store wasn't that large, he'd be able to see her as she browsed. He wasn't about to follow her around while she picked out clothes.

She hadn't moved.

"Get," he growled. Max shuffled away to a rack and absently filed through the clothes, constantly turning her head over her shoulder to make sure he didn't move off when she wasn't aware. She caught a group of people leave the store and wondered how soon it would take for him to swoop in on her if she tried to leave. She sighed and walked over to a rack of jeans and picked out four pairs in her size and then over to some yoga pants and workout tops. He hadn't said anything about her training… but she knew regular clothes would make it even more unpleasant then it was surely going to be.

She hurried along the shelf of clothing, sticking mostly to the sale signs and comfortable-wear. In 20 minutes she was beside him again with her arms full. She just wanted to get this done and get out of here.

Victor was glad she was at least being practical about what she picked out. The clothes were casual and he could give fuck all about today's styles but, weren't women supposed to fall over themselves in efforts to look good? He cocked his head.

"I like to be comfortable," she explained. "You don't strike me as the type to strike into town unless there's a reason, and I don't want to draw attention to myself."

'_From anyone else or anymore from you,' _she added silently. She also kept mum about the part where her southern manners wouldn't allow him to take advantage of his money although she didn't know why.

He nodded once and stood up, padding with her over to the counter and giving the lady his credit card who moved quickly to ring them up without a word. He caught Max looking forlornly over at a bunch of knitted hats.

"Don't even think about it," he said. She sighed.

He took her elbow again when they were done and led her to a store with a sign labeled _New Lingerie._ He was thoroughly amused when she dug in her heels, nearly jerking him to a stop, her eyes wide and her face red.

"Why are we going in there?" she asked. She knew, of course, but was afraid of the answer all the same. Victor grinned nastily.

"As much as I like the thought of you struttin' around my place in nothing but yer skin under those clothes… there's more anticipation in unwrappin somethin' with more paper." He let her ponder that a moment before dragging her along and chuckling at her outraged stutters. This was the kind of shopping he didn't mind standing over her shoulder for.

Max clutched her bags as Victor wondered along isles of colored lace, picking out things here and there that struck his fancy. She tried not to watch him as she did it. How did he even know her size? She stopped absently to look around, and her gaze wondered to a section of the wall housing all manners of… _leather?_

'_Good lord,' _she said to herself, face flaming. Victor stopped and followed her sight line.

"That the kinda stuff yer into pup? Didn't take ya for a kink," he quipped. Max gulped and her eyes shot to the ground.

'_Please do not go over there,'_ she silently begged. Her heart stopped when Victor drew nearer to the wall before sagging in relief when his path turned toward a stand of nighties instead, and a rack of bras.

He browsed and selected before turning to her and shoving the fabrics into her arms and snatching the shopping bags out of her hands.

"Go try these on, I won't have you wastin' my hard earned money," he told her.

'_Ah shit.'_ He hadn't said anything about her trying on the other clothes. And he was worried _these_ wouldn't fit? Max turned on her heel and hurried into the dressing room. She ripped her clothes off and quickly set about doing as she was told. All that protected her modesty was a dark curtain, and she kept constant surveillance on his boots under the fabric.

"Lemme see the white one," she heard. Max froze, and stared at the white teddy hanging innocently on a hanger with matching lace panties. She was sure her face would catch fire at any moment. Could this be any more humiliating?

'_**Don't just stand there like a ninny and wait to find out,' **_her inner animal warned. Did he want everyone and their brother to see her half naked? She wondered. She gulped and set about outing it on.

"Pup, either you come out, or I come in," Victor warned as she was stepping into the panties and tugged at them to cover more of her generous derriere. Hell her whole ass was hanging out!

Max looked at herself in the mirror with something akin to horror. Her breasts were pushed up, and her skin looked darker next to the white cloth. Her toboggan had fallen off while she was trying in bras leaving her hair in a wavy, sex-headed mess. She'd always been curvy, too curvy in her opinion. Her stomach and legs were toned due to X-men training and her waist was slim and curved becomingly into her hips. She looked… hot.

'_**Damn we look good.'**_

'_That's what I'm afraid of,' _she replied. If her mother could see her she'd have a heart attack. She couldn't go out there! The curtain moved and she panicked.

"I'm not comin' out!" she declared. Let him come on if he wanted, she'd rather him be the one to see her than the entire mall population. She squeaked when the curtain was ripped open and Victor's mass filled the doorway before he snapped the curtain back into place.

God she could die from the humiliation, which she might, she decided. He just stared. Somehow his not saying anything was worse than him tossing crude remarks at her. The silence stretched and Max wanted more than anything for the floor to swallow her up and she nervously crossed her arms over her stomach.

"Say something," she whispered. The gleam in his eye was scaring the shit out of her. If they continued to stare at each other she'd faint.

Victor stepped closer, causing Max to bump into the wall. His scent turned spicy and charged with something else. Was that what lust smelled like? She started to sweat.

Victor crowded her with his bulk just pressing up against her curves as her arms lowered to the wall and he could hear her little claws scratch the plaster. The sight of her just innocently standing there like some little virgin ripe for the taking set him on fire.

"What do you want me to say baby girl?" he asked against her lips and wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her to him.

"How fuckin' delicious you look?" he pressed his groin against and pinned her with his weight just holding her there and she inhaled sharply. He noted with satisfaction that her irises were rimmed with gold again and her scent sweetened, distorting the tangy edge of fear.

Max parted her lips softly. The dressing room was cast in a dim, soft light that made their surrounding strangely intimate. She was responding to his nearness and his possessive touch and she couldn't help herself. Something was happening, and she was scared to try and process it. It was to new, too intense and she was torn between fleeing and running her hands over him.

He was all muscle, and his hardness against the places where she was soft was alluring and maddening. Not to mention he smelled so _fucking fantastic._

She wondered what he tasted like.

'_**Find out,'**_ her feral whispered bravely, eager to know the answer as much as she was. Max tilted her head back and looked at him through half-lidded eyes.

Victor growled and slammed his lips against hers. Tongue and fangs pushed past her lips utterly ravishing her mouth. The fear was back but with it came something even darker, her hands curled in his jacket and she pressed back just as hard trying to keep up with the pace he was setting. As inexperienced as she was, his lead was easy enough to follow.

One of his hands uncurled from his waist to run down hip to her thigh around squeeze her butt. She felt like she was drowning with the taste of him, but it was such sweet torture she couldn't bring herself to pull away. Everything became hazy and Max found herself floating away to the calm recesses of her mind. Uh oh.

Victor pulled back when he sensed the shift and found himself staring into Max's eyes. _Gold eyes_. They glowed in the dim lighting, alight with hunger and untouched wildness that he couldn't remember seeing in the eyes of another person.

She retook his mouth and brought an arm around his neck groaning softly as he caught her more firmly under her buttocks and ground his pelvis against hers as she took advantage of his distraction to do her own plundering.

He kneaded her flesh and thrust against her through their clothing, leaving her gasping and jerking her head back into the wall with a thud. Victor grunted when a leg came around his waist and tilted her hips against him. They had to get out of here before he lost control and took her now in the dressing room.

The image of her bent over and showing everyone how much he pleasured her was not an unwelcomed thought. But he didn't share. He drew back and looked into her wild eyes and her flushed face. He grinned. Seducing her animal first had just moved higher up on his list. He could enjoy the fruits of his labor so much easier when she was running on instinct and feeling more than rational thought.

He watched in mild fascination as she came out of her daze and gold mixed back in with silver.

"Let's go," he rumbled before stalking out of the dressing room.

Max distractingly put her clothes back on. What just happened? They had just practically rutted in the dressing room. She was mortified!

'_**You'd better get over it. It could have been worse,'**_ her feral stated calmly.

'_You certainly didn't help any!'_ she inwardly retorted. But she had to agree, the experience hadn't been entirely unpleasant. If that was the worst she could expect, she figured this whole "being his thing" was going to be a breeze.

'_**Don't be stupid.'**_ Max ignored her while gathering up her items and running her tongue over her tingling lips.

The drive back was made in silence, and Max through open her door, grabbing her bags and as many grocery bags as she could before retreating into the house to out things away. Victor followed more slowly, extending his senses as he walked to make sure no one had been near while they were gone.

He watched her fuss around the kitchen and get dinner ready while he took a beer from the fridge and set one on the counter next to her. She offered a small smile in thanks before twisting off the lid and gulping down nearly half of it. The bitter liquid floated over her tongue, mmm, tasted like heaven.

She saw Victor lean against the counter and remembered with amusement how he'd blinked at her when she'd shyly asked for an 18 pack of bottles. He'd gotten three and stored two in a room down the hall that he kept locked.

His mind wandered to the exchange in the store, and he pondered how often she lost control like that. His ego inflated with the thought that all it took was for him to touch her before she unraveled and was reduced to rely on her baser instincts to navigate her. It also made him feel powerful in a way he hadn't experienced before that he could wreak havoc on her senses just by running his hands over her.

On the other hand, it posed a bit of a problem. If she had separated herself from her animal to meticulously than she was twice as likely to develop a split personality where if her animal surfaced then she would lose complete control and be stuck inside her own mind until her animal decided to retreat. Which could take years, as he knew.

"Pup," he said. One ear swiveled towards him before Max turned her head from stirring the ground beef in the pan.

"Hmm?"

"How often does that happen?" Max's eyebrows furrowed. Was he talking about the display she made of herself in the dressing room?

"What?" she asked blushing.

"How often do you lose control like that? You nearly had yer way with me in that dressin' room," he said seriously. Her blush deepened and she fiddled with the dials on the stove to lower the heat. She turned around and leaned against the opposite counter holding her beer and crossing her legs.

"Well you saw the one time…" she said looking at him sheepishly through her lashes. He nodded. She was referring to the rage he'd witnessed.

"It's happened a few other times… well more than a few… mostly before I lived at the school," she continued no longer looking at him. It was embarrassing having to admit she couldn't control herself.

"What about at the school?" he pressed. She picked at the wrapper on the beer bottle.

"Only a couple when I got really pissed. Once because of some bitch and her friends were bad mouthing me and Rogue when I first got there and the Professor mind raped me to out me under," she recalled that experience with malice. She'd warned those fuckers not to push her. Victor growled softy but allowed her to continue.

"Another time was when I got into it with the badger." His own ears perked at that.

"Badger?"

"Logan." Victor barked out a laugh. A showdown between her and the Runt? He would have paid money to see that.

"What'd the Runt do to you?" he asked in humor. Max gave the slightest smile.

"Just ran his mouth about something he didn't know anything about. I hate that." She'd called Logan out on being as asshole when she stumbled upon Marie upset in their room. Being faced with something uncomfortable that he didn't want to talk about Logan dropped into his normal mine of offense. He taunted her about snapping at the kids that heckled her and said something about her family. That alone had made her see red.

When she'd finally calmed down and been banished to her room, she opened to door to find a six pack and a pizza waiting for her in the hallway. Logan's form of an apology and she forgave him. Since then they'd kept a friendly distance with the occasional humorous dispute that didn't hold any heat behind the words and he stopped by from time to time to check on her outside of his self-defense class.

Marie said they were mean. The truth was they just happened to share the same raunchy humor and understanding for space. Logan was a good man, and she'd lay her life down for him if the situation called for it, but he was just irritatingly clueless sometimes.

Victor growled why he spied the fondness in her eyes at the thought of his younger brother and he clenched his fist laying on the counter.

"Two of you were close then?" he asked bitingly. Max frowned and looked at him. Was he jealous?

"Ew no! Not like that. We mostly kept our distance and bickered more than anything, but we got along well. He's a pack mate nothing more. Besides Rogue is more fire then he can handle on her own."

"Sure hold those two in high regard," he stated blandly.

"Rogue's the first real friend I've ever had, I'll always love her. I'm not overly fond of Logan but we have a mutual understanding and he's defended in his own way and neither of them have ever judged me." He knew she was referring to more than her breakdowns.

"It's in a dog's nature to be loyal to those that are good to it, and a dog can love anyone. Despite our differences I'd give my life for Logan if I had too. He hasn't been overly generous towards me, and I don't need that… he was just there in ways other couldn't be. I'd irrefutably give myself up for Rogue and rip apart anyone that so much as looked at her wrong. I guess it's just in my nature," she said solemnly.

Victor studied her for a long time. She was loyal and honorable in her own way, an old way that he hadn't seen in nearly 50 years.

An old soul.

"_A dog can love anyone."_

"Yer not a dog," he heard himself say absently. She was young and reckless, aggravating and didn't have a clue what she was doing, but she was no dog. Deep blue met sterling silver and he was surprised to see she was smiling at him.

"Hurry up and get ready for bed. Training starts in the morning and I ain't taking it easy on ya because we had a little heart to heart. Feels like we should be skippin through a field of fuckin flowers' next," he growled and left for the den.

Max turned back to her food, a smile still on her face.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.


	9. Wolf gets Left Alone

Victor lounged on a tree limb idly at picking his nails as he listened to the pup stumble through the dense foliage. Damn she was loud… and clumsy, he thought smirking as her shoulder bumped a tree.

It'd been a week since she'd been here and this was only their second training session. He was teaching her to extend and make use of her other senses while blind folded so she was forced to trek around blind folded to find him. So far he was not very impressed.

The first lesson went better than he expected. They were in the yard for hours exchanging blows and circling each other until her healing factor became exhausted. He acknowleged begrudgingly that she could hold her own pretty well in hand to hand, considering it was him she was fighting and he had the advantage of weight and height.

She didn't use her claws as much as he did, preferring to use his body weight against him and aiming hits at pressure points or joints that would give under her force. And she fought dirty. He still scowled at remembering her knee practically putting his balls in his stomach. After that, the session ended with her on her back and his teeth in her throat.

On her feet she was quick, on her back… not so much.

She finally came to stand under his perch after nearly 30 minutes of following his trail through the woods. She reached up and reached up and ripped the blind fold off and glaring up at him. Still pissed at the false trails and circles she'd had to endure, not to mention becoming personally acquainted with many trees and bushes along the way.

Victor regarded her with a bored expression.

"Bout fuckin' time," he said leaping onto the ground. Max growled softly.

They walked back to cabin silence, Victor in front and Max a good distance behind. She was so frustrated to discover that there was so much she couldn't do as well as he could. Earlier when he'd sent her off into the woods first it only took him a matter of minutes to find her. A few days earlier he'd given her a thorough ass whipping. To say her pride was bruised was an understatement.

Max studied him cautiously as he led the way, eyes trailing across his shoulders and down his powerful back to his muscular legs. He was unquestionably strong, but not only in body, but in mind as well. His perception and cleverness were as equally unnerving as they were impressive, not that she'd ever admit it.

The past week had been daunting and her nerves were shot. She would spend the day studying him from afar, or at least as far as she could get until he either layed down behind her for sleep, or forced her to sit next to him on the sofa. They spent most of their time in silence unless he was telling her how to cook his food or giving her orders or growling at her during training.

He hadn't touched her the way he did in the dressing room again. Something she was both thankful and curious for.

He also spent a lot of time in that room he always kept locked, and had appeared once to wrap his hand around her throat when she'd been ease dropping outside the door. Needless to say she kept her distance.

Max's eyes narrowed in thought. He was so closed off, mysterious, but at the same time he was interesting, and… alluring. Sometimes she would be so drawn to him that she'd have to stop herself from moving nearer to him. Both to refuse him the satisfaction of his effect on her and because she didn't think he'd take to it well.

If the past week and taught her anything it was that Creed was controlling, demanding and that everything was to be on his terms. Something she had trouble with accepting but made due.

"You got somethin' to say frail?" Oh, and he didn't like it when she stared at him for long periods of time.

"What do you want for dinner?" She asked.

"Doesn't matter. I won't be here to eat it," he said walking up the steps of the back porch. Max stopped and frowned.

What?

She followed him inside to the kitchen, a strange feeling of unease settling in her stomach. He was going to leave her here?

"Where are you going?" Victor snarled and turned on her, making her flinch.

"None of your Goddamn business. If it was you'd know," he snarled. He'd taken a job in Vegas. He'd be gone for at least a week and he still had some digging to do into the pup and her relationship with the Russian mob that had brought her to his doorstep. Cooper. Why was her last name so fucking familiar?

He left her in the kitchen disappearing down the hall and slamming the door.

Max sighed and looked around before slowly padding down the hall as well. She stopped in front of the locked door and studied the wood before going to take a shower.

* * *

Victor's fists almost cracked the desk when he slammed them on either side of the keyboard. Bold red letters blinked at him on the screen.

INVALID I.D.

He was so enraged the edges of his vision went blurry. He snarled before shoving his chair back and nearly yanking the door off its hinges.

The pup was standing in the living room with a book watching him with wide eyes and fear blossomed in her scent. He was ready to kill her.

Max dropped the book when he stormed up to her one clawed hand grabbing her throat and digging his claws into the side of her neck, and the other snatching her wrist. He was growling loudly and he jerked her up to slam her down on the couch pressing her against the back making her chest arch into him.

"Who the fuck are you?!" he roared. Max scratched at his hand and gasped for breath as his grip threatened to crush her wind pipe. The smell of his own blood enraged him more.

"Wha- you- tal-king-"

"Don't fuckin' lie to me. There's no record of you! No name, no date of birth, nothing. _You don't fuckin' exist!" _He snarled. She'd either been playing the fuck out of him or this was something else. Either way he was damned sure going to get to the bottom of it.

Max struggled and choked trying to form words. She was in a panic. Her animal was ready to bust forward and she was tempted to let it.

Victor eased his grip so she could talk.

"My name is Maxine Cooper! I swear to God!" she wheezed. Victor pushed her further into the cushions.

"Then why the fuck is there no record of you even bein' alive?"

"My-my dad did dangerous work. I guess if there was no record of me it'd be harder for people to hurt them." He narrowed his eyes. He watched her face carefully and searched her scent for signs of deception. Nothing but honesty and fear.

"If you looked again, you wouldn't find anything on him either. It's the truth I swear." Victor let go of her throat and straddled her legs, bracing his hand on the couch beside her head.

"You better start giving me details pup, and quick. I'll know if yer tryin' to bullshit me and so help me I'll paint the fuckin walls with you if I think you are," he threatened.

Max heaved trying to calm her heart rate and stroke her animal back into control.

"My dad was a marine, did four terms, two were special ops. He was released from active duty but still did Uncle Sam's dirty work while he and mom raised me." Victor watched her coldly. This was way more to the pup then he'd ever expected.

This was a whole new ball game, and he was trying to wrap his head around it.

"What happened with the Russians?" He asked. They wouldn't be on government's radar unless it was a matter of national security, which they wouldn't have drafted some ex-soldier to take care of. Max dropped her eyes to his chest and his nose twitched as sadness began to perfume from her.

"I… I don't know all the details. I figured dad expanded his services to others outside the government and got contracted to deal with one of the Russians. He either didn't finish the job or… he killed somebody important," she said.

Victor's wheels were starting to turn. He wracked his brain for some clue of what the fuck she was going on about. It'd been a few years since he'd done work for the mob but he'd had his fair share of dealings with them. One event struck him and his claws tipped her head back to look at him.

"Kozlov," he said softly. Max's eyes widened and tears gathered, ready to fall.

* * *

_She was on the concrete in the rain. Her arm and leg were bleeding and she groaned as the bullets pushed themselves back through her flash to fall beside her. Blood mixed rain water, pooling under her and she pulled one leg under her in an effort to stand up._

_She was soaked and in pain. One her ears had a tear in it and she put her hand to it to make sure the whole thing was still there._

_The click of a gun shattered the quiet and she felt cold metal pressed to her temple._

_A man stood over her with his finger on the trigger and stared at her with a cold indifferent look. She tried to make out his features through her blurry eyes but the street lamp only illuminated one side of his face. A long hooked nose and bearded mouth left no doubt he was Russian._

"_Why?" she asked on the verge of tears. The man shrugged before answering her in a heavy accent._

"_Because, little wolf. Your father killed the boss's brother, Ivan Kozlov. A very important man no? Boss is very upset, he vill not rest easy until all traces of Daniel Cooper cease to exist. Vat is why, little wolf."_

_Max trembled uncontrollably. These people had butchered her parents and tried to kill her. They'd taken everything from her, leaving her alone in this cruel world to survive on her own. _

_She wouldn't die until every single one of them was dead._

_The fog crept over her as her animal pushed forward, howling for blood and she welcomed it. She felt her teeth lengthen and power thrummed through her as her consciousness started to drift away._

_She would not die._

"_And so this is goodbye, little wolf. Join your parents in hell."_

_She'd sprung up before his finger could tighten on the trigger. Like watching a movie on a screen she saw herself rip into him, spraying his blood on the payment and all over her clothes and her face. His screams pushed her further into her frenzy and she didn't stop ripping at him until he was unrecognizable. _

_When she was too tired to lift her arms she lifted herself off of him, golden eyes stared coldly at the corpse. He wouldn't be the last, but at least it looked like he was the only one._

_She left him there, and didn't look back._

* * *

Max focused back on Victor's face when the memory left her. She realized he was about to cry and blinked quickly.

"Yes, Ivan Kozlov," she said lowly.

"I learned his name when the Russians sent one of their goons to try and kill me."

Victor was still studying her. The pup was a fighter, there was no denying that. He'd taken jobs from the Kozlov's a bunch of times. The Russians were a shady bunch, but they were loyal to their country and even more so to their family. Kozlov had been after her for all these years because she was a living reminder that his brother was dead.

He was just shirt of amazed that she was still alive. The only thing that had probably saved her was that they didn't know they couldn't kill her without taking her head off.

Her pain and the saltiness of unshed tears burned his nose. Any other person would've tried to comfort her, probably. But seeing as he was no good at that he started purring instead and let go of her wrist. He leaned his forehead against hers and waited for her eyes to catch his.

"What do ya want frail?" He asked. He felt resolve and determination spread through her.

"I wanna rip their fuckin' throats out," she whispered. "I want them to _bleed_."

Victor still watched her. He already knew he'd do it for her before she had even finished her history lesson. She would bring her Kozlov's head on a plate, or if she was ready he'd watch her do it herself.

"Alright pup," he whispered and got off her. Max stared ahead as he headed to the bedroom and let out a shaky breath when she heard the door close.

Victor emerged an hour later in a long black trench coat and a duffle bag. Max was curled in the arm of the sofa with a blanket staring into the fire. A book was open beside her but she'd given up on trying to make sense of the words. She didn't look at him until he dropped the bag and plopped down on the opposite end.

"C'mere pup," he said. Max got up slowly and crept forward a few feet before he grabbed her arm and pulled her to sit astride his lap. She went reluctantly but surprisingly didn't resist.

Max exhaled and settled against his chest laying her head on his shoulder. Right now she didn't care that she didn't really like him and had to keep her guard up. She just wanted to be held. To be touched. He was so warm and big, and his scent was so calming. Her ear pressed against his muttonchop and her eyes shifted closed.

"M'gonna be gone for a few days, a week at the most. If I'm not back in three weeks head to town and find a pay phone. Call the Runt and go back to the school." Max opened her eyes and picked her head up to look at him.

"You can go outside but don't go far, and stay out of that room I keep locked. 'F I find out you've been in there I'll tan your hide. Anybody shows up, you hide until they're gone. And another thing…" He wrapped his arms around her waist.

" 'F I get back and you ain't here, I'll hunt you down and rip you apart myself." He said dangerously.

Max nodded and he leaned into her.

"Before I go, I'ma give ya something to think about while I'm gone." Max cocked her head and opened her mouth to ask what it was but never got a chance.

Victor's mouth took her aggressively, his fangs running over her bottom lip before his toung plunged inside and tangled with hers. She whimpered as his hands began to run over her back and down to gripped her buttocks through her cotton shorts and then under the material.

She instinctively rocked against him, and slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders. That feeling was there again. The heat that threatened to consume her and drive her to something she wasn't sure she was prepared for.

Victor groaned and used his hands to keep her pelvis moving over his and he stiffened in his pants. He left her mouth to run his teeth down her neck, nipping her sharply and soothing the bites with his tongue. Max tilted her head back and moaned softly as he grinded his hips into hers.

She started panting as she tried not to be swept away by the sensations. Her animal paced restlessly back and forth in her mind, enjoying the feelings she was experiencing, but reluctant to let her guard down.

Victor's hand left her backside to slide up her side under her tee shirt, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. His claw circled the cup of her bra before pushing it up and palming the mound. Max whined when his thumb swept over her nipple and he left her neck to watch her face.

She was rocking against him on her own now and his another hand reached up around the back of her neck. Her eyes were rimmed in gold but she still had control.

"Like the way you sound pup. Like the way you smell when yer wet for me," Victor growled. Max blushed and her gaze dashed away. Before she knew it Victor's hand was down the down the front of her shorts and reaching under her panties.

The haze of pleasure cleared and anxiety mixed with the smell of her arousal. She'd touched herself before to ease the harder days when the heat would set in. No one else had ever touched her before, or at least not down there.

"Victor I-" she began quickly. He cut her off with a kiss drowning out her protest as his claws stroked her, feeling her want.

"Trust me pup," he whispered raggedly. "I ain't gonna hurt ya." He watched her as he touched her. Retracting his claws and slipping a finger inside. Max whimpered again as she felt movement inside her, and gasped loudly when his thumbed pressed her clit.

Damn she was tight. The thought that his frail was a virgin and that he was the only one to touch her like this sent a rush of power straight to his groin and he moved his hand faster.

She was his. She'd learn that only he could make her feel this way and she wouldn't find it anywhere else.

Max closed her eyes and moaned. She'd never felt anything like this. There was an inferno in her belly and it was spreading, leaving her feeling weak and she leaned against Victor for support, her lips brushing his.

He watched her as he brought to closer to the edge. He felt her tighten around his fingers and her eyes opened again to watch him in a half lidded state.

Max watched him carefully. The end was fast approaching and she dug her nails into his coat and rocked against his hand moaning again.

The damn broke with a shuddering intensity that left her bucking and trembling against him. She through her head back and groaned, vaguely aware of Victor sitting up straighter to follow her so he could watch her face as she climaxed.

Victor chuckled when she came back to herself and pinned back her ears, snuggling her face against the front of his neck so she wouldn't have to look at him.

Shame swamped her. What was she doing? She couldn't let this happen! Even though the aftermath was so… wonderful. Her body felt like a wet, rung-out rag and she slumped against him trying to get her breath back.

Victor purred as he righted her clothes and stood up with her to carry her to the door with him. She slid down his front as he let her go and tipped her head back to look at him.

"Remember what I said frail," he rumbled. "You're mine. I take care of what's mine."

Max swallowed and nodded. She refused to think about what had just happened. At least until she was by herself. The thought of being here alone was unsettling. She didn't understand why… she'd been alone for years and she preferred it that way… she didn't want him to go.

Max bit her lip and grasped the lapels of his coat. Victor grinned and claimed her mouth in a bruising kiss.

"See ya soon pup," and then he was gone.

Max stood by the window and watched the old truck disappear through the woods. When it was out of sight she locked the door and turned to walk into the kitchen.

She needed a beer.

* * *

**Reviews please.**


	10. Wolf and Homecoming

Max stretched on the rock, letting the bare skin of her stomach chafe slightly against the rough stone. She'd been out hunting, when she happened across the sounds of the angry river.

Okay, so she'd been chasing that deer more than actually hunting it. She tailed it for maybe half a mile when she heard the roar of the water and went to investigate. Deciding to take a breather she'd scaled the boulder to lay in the sun. A moment of tranquility had led to sheading her clothes so she could feel the sun dance across her skin.

Victor had been gone four days and what had turned into a time of solace and relaxation had turned to boredom and restlessness and she passed the time with meaningless tasks to keep her mind off the odd loneliness that would plague her.

She sighed and folded her arms under her chin. The more she'd tried to piece together the puzzle that was Victor Creed, the more lost she became. He was almost gentle one minute and then alarmingly violent then next. He said he wanted her and then he was threatening to cause her bodily harm.

It was all so confusing… how the hell was she supposed to even do this… this... whatever the hell it was if she couldn't find some kind of even footing?

She sighed again.

Who'd have thought she would start to miss asshole?

Scalding water pounded his back and Victor rolled the powerful muscles in his shoulder as he watched the blood run down his legs and mix with the clear liquid at his feet.

The job had been annoyingly simple and easy but it'd slaked his blood lust for the time being. That squealing piece of shit he'd been sent to dismember had irritated him to much with to be truly enjoyable.

He turned off the water and walked into the main room of his suite toweling off his hair. For some high end casino they sure had shitty towels. The cheap fibers scratched his skin and the place stunk of stale sex and a mix of narcotics and cheap alcohol that clung to the materials of the room, no matter how often the maid came to clean.

He sat heavily on the bed and dragged a clawed hand through his hair. It was starting to piss him off that the pup got under his skin enough to where her face would come to him at times like these. He'd much rather be at home in his chair with her curled up on the sofa beside him, or better yet against him, in his lap.

He knew what he'd signed up for by claiming her… well he thought he had. She wasn't like any normal frail that he'd ever dealt with. Then again he'd never kept one either. Sure she'd piss him off from time to time but he preferred that to her cowering in the corner.

It pissed him off more that he liked it. He liked the way she watched him when she thought he wasn't looking, like the way she had settled into his space without crowding him or getting in the way. He liked the way her scent went all sweat and warm after she settled against him, and the food wasn't half bad either.

He liked the way he'd practically made her sing and arch against him before he left, and that the smell of her orgasm still clung to his pants and his coat. He imagined he'd really like the way she did it when he drove into her again and again as she begged him. Whether it was for more or to stop he didn't really give a fuck.

He wondered if she thought about him when she laid in that big bed, surrounded by the smell of him, and remembered how he made her feel. If she stroked herself and imagined it was him doing it. The thought of her slayed out on the sheets and trying to bring herself to completion and then growling in frustration made his dick twitch and he allowed himself to enjoy the image.

He heaved himself up to get dressed. There was still one more stop to make before he left town and he intended to make it quick.

He was ready to get home. There was a little wolf curled up in his den, and he'd make it a homecoming she'd never forget.

Her breath made cloud in the evening air when she jogged up the front steps of the house. She'd started patrolling on the second day, making a radius of half a mile to see if she could pick up on any… disturbances. And because she was bored. That's what she told herself.

The lack of Victor's brooding presence had left the house too quiet in the evenings, and her paranoia had mounted. She knew, if there were Russians in Canada it was unlikely they'd stumble across her in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere… but it didn't stop her from locking the doors and looking out the kitchen window as she cooked, looking for the shapes of shadowy figures moving through the trees.

The cabin was warm and inviting as she toed off her boots and hung up her coat, reaching behind her to twist the deadbolt of the front door.

She fixed a pot of coffee and settled herself on the couch tucking her legs under her and flipping through the channels on the t.v. She didn't care for anything that was on, but the muted voices helped dispel the silence that reminded her she was once again alone.

She scoffed. Alone was all she'd wanted at the school, and she'd had it in a way. Her lone nature made making friends difficult and all the distractions had nearly drive her insane when she first got there. Even being in the classrooms were strange, like she'd been an outsider looking in. She probably never would have even known Marie if they hadn't been stuck in the same room together.

The topic brought her to think about the Professor, and she wondered if he had looked for her with Cerebro. Every day since she left she waited for the tickle of someone trying to push into her mind, but knew that her feral side was ever on guard for any intruders.

She figured Rogue had told him about what had happened. Maybe he didn't want her back? The thought didn't cause her any distress, she hadn't even thought about going back. Looking back on it, she didn't even know why she stayed. The only hold she had there was Rogue, and she'd helped her more than Xavier's mind raping did.

Max often wondered about the man's true intentions many times. He was caring and truly wanted to help other mutants but something about him was… off to her in a way, but not necessarily in a bad way. Rogue had said she'd been on the road to long, and Logan had just kind of looked at her with a quiet understanding but didn't comment. She knew he felt it too.

Minutes rolled into hours, it was nearly midnight when Max drug herself to bed. She laid there in the dark and waited for the nightmares to come. Which would it be tonight? The night of her parents deaths? The night that Russian was going to put a bullet through her head? Maybe the time she had a scrape with the two in Atlanta? Or the one that pulled a switch blade on her in broad daylight in that shitty town she passed through a couple years back?

She hadn't noticed until Victor left that she didn't dream when he was laying behind her. Whether it was his heat or his scent she didn't know, but she did know that she hadn't slept so well before she came here. Like it or not he'd made her feel more secure than she had since her parents were alive.

He wouldn't let anyone get her because he either wouldn't rob himself of the pleasure or because he wouldn't tolerate other people touching his stuff.

"_I take care of what's mine."_

She sighed and rolled over to her side and dragged his pillow to her nose. She really did like the way he smelled.

Victor loped silently to the old warehouse by the docks. A movie stereotype of he saw one. The look outs in the front and the sentry snipers were easy enough to slip by and he made his way through the rickety building, sliding along the shadows and navigating his way up the floors to the center where he knew the main office would be.

Two men stood outside a door armed with automatic rifles and bored expressions quietly exchanging a bottle of vodka. He cleared his throat as he stepped into the light and grinned maliciously as they started and dropped the bottle.

"Halt!"

"V'at are you doing here!?" Victor chuckled.

"I'm here so see the boss. Tell 'im it's Creed."

The door suddenly opened and a short man with a scar that ran from cheek to chin pushed some stoned blond headed tart out of the room.

"Get the fuck out of here you whore! Before I cut you to pieces." Victor curled his lip at her as she fearfully met his gaze before scrambling upright and clicking down the hall on her ridiculous stripper heels.

"Artur! Kill her before she gets to the front floor and dump her. I don't want blood on my new carpet."

"Yes sir!" answered one of the men and strode off to do his work. The little man turned to Victor and regarded him with surprise that quickly turned to suspicion that melted behind a fake smile and an oily greeting.

"Ah Mr. Creed! It has been long my large friend. Here on business yes?" He asked.

"Something like that," Victor rumbled, still smirking. "Aren't ya gonna invite me in?"

"Ah yes of course," Dmitri smirked and opened the door wider before stepping back. Victor entered the office and made a show of looking around with his hands clasped behind his back. He heard Dmitri move over to his desk followed by the clank of glass on glass.

"So good of you to visit after these past years. You look well. Business is good?"

"As good as it gets," Victor answered. The little man leaned against his desk and watched him passively. He smell suspicion in the air, and an undercurrent of anxiety.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Dmitri finally asked. Victor shrugged and walked closer.

"I was in the neighborhood."

"A social visit then? Actually Father asked me about you, not too long ago." Dmitri said casually. Victor lifted an eyebrow.

"Did he? How is old Orlov these days?" Dmitri smirked again.

"He is well, and has been diagnosed with lung cancer, but he is well. He flies in in two days from mother Russia to visit my brother's grave."

"That right?" Victor asked casually. If the old man was set on having the pup's head as much as his son was, he was in for a bigger mess then he'd signed up for. The trouble this could bring was enough to give him the starts of a head ache.

"Ever catch the guy?" he asked. Dmitri nodded solemnly.

"Yes he's dead, along with his wife and family. There's still one less loose end to tie up after all these years. I regret not hiring you to take of it, that way it would be done and not give me anymore grief. However, Father is traditional and thought it should be handled ourselves." Victor's ribs tightened and he felt slightly sick. He tried to imagine the frail as a pup and his claws slicing her open. He would have done it too. Without as much as a pause or a blink, back then.

"But it is well, their time will come and I will stuff them out like one does a candle. For now, there are more pressing matters," Dmitri continued. Victor 'hmmed'. He'd heard enough.

"Well, if yer boys can't get it done, I'm sure you'll find a way to get in touch with me," Victor said casually. It was time to go… before he slit the little fucker's throat.

"Take care, Kozlov," Victor said as he made his way through the door. Dmitri watched him go with narrowed eyes.

"Same to you, comrade."

The flight was miserable. Victor slumped in the seat and stretched out his legs. Even though he had the luxury of flying in his own jet, the space was cramped and made him feel claustrophobic.

He tipped his chin and thought hard. The whole situation was a fucked up mess. Orlov wouldn't let the death of his son go until he felt his little tirade of revenge had been fully carried out. If the Russian's had more important things going on that meant the pup wasn't high up on the list of current priorities.

That meant Dimitri would only sick his lackeys on her when she'd been spotted. There was a chance of he hid her out long enough that she wouldn't be found until Kozlov got enough free time to organize a hunting party. He wouldn't elude himself with the possibility that she'd be forgotten if she dropped off the face of the earth for a while.

Victor decided he'd have to have a sit-down with the old man in the end… and probably kill him... if the pup didn't kill him first.

Victor grinned to himself. Nothing would please him more then to turn her loose on the lot of them. To sit back and watch her rip them apart and take what was rightfully owed to her. He understood her drive to get even, and he knew he wouldn't deny her the chance if she wanted it.

They'd cross that bridge when they got to it. If she wanted to accomplish anything she had a lot of work to do. Then again, who better to help along then The Butcher?

Max's mind snapped to awareness, dragging her into the conscious world. Something was… off. The air in the cabin had shifted, her spine tingled and she sat up.

What on earth? She strained her ears and through off the covers. Something was going on… this wasn't right… Oh God, someone was here! Fear coiled like an icy snake in her belly. She silently got up from the bed and stepped forward. What the hell did she do? Should she hide?

'_**What the fuck do you mean hide? Go get them! These assholes are trespassing!'**_ Max froze. Fear ebbed into apprehension mixed with possessiveness. Who in the _fuck_ did they think they were struttin' around her _fuckin' house?!_ She squared her shoulders and crept out of the room with her back to the wall. Whoever it was, they were in for a nasty surprise.

Summoning all her courage, Max leapt around the corner with a snarl, intent on murder… Until she saw who it was.

Victor stood by the door, grinning like an ass and released the door to swing closed. Max froze. Her earlier unease vanished to be replaced with a warm tingle that spread through her chest and brought a smile to her face.

She was happy to see him, she realized. Really happy. So happy she could hug him. She jerked to her senses in mid step, realizing she just about did. Not so sure he would welcome such an embrace, she looked at her bare feet in embarrassment… the sight of her bare legs brought to realization her state of dress.

If she had known he'd been home, she would've worn actual clothes. Instead she was standing there in lacey purple panties and one of Victor's t-shirts. To make matters worse, she could feel her face heating up… well, this probably couldn't be any more embarrassing.

"Scare ya pup?" Victor smirked. Max's blush darkened.

"I- uh… I thought you… weren't you," she answered lamely.

Victor kept smirking as he stepped closer. Her warm scent enveloped him as he watched her fiddle with the hem of his t-shirt, avoiding his gaze. Her face was flushed and her ears were pinned back but… she _was_ a lovely picture standing there with sleep-messed hair.

He smell she was glad to see him and it sent a jolt straight to his groin. Days of having nothing but her scent on his coat and the lewd conjuring's of his mind had him filled with tension and ready to burst. She smelt so sweet and… ripe.

He wanted her… _now._

Max jumped when he stepped close to her and shed his coat, leaning past her to hang it on the wall. She gulped when her eyes caught his. The intensity of his look stole her breath and she closed her eyes to inhale him.

'Mmmm,' the spicy warmth that was him made her shiver. It was good to have him back.

Her eyes snapped open when his scent changed and she locked eyes with him.

'… _The dressing room… This was the way he smelled when he…_ _Oh, SHIT!'_

Max gulped and stepped back. Oh dear…

Victor growled lowly and pressed himself against her. She was not getting away, she was his, and he was going to prove it to her right now.

"Pup…' he rumbled, leaning down to circle her waist and rubbing his face against her ears and then down to her neck. He didn't want her scared… not now.

Max began to tremble and she brought her hands up to grip his shoulders, anchoring herself so she wouldn't float away.

'_Wha… what do I do?'_

'_**There's not much we can do… it's gonna happen… soon.'**_

'_I… I don't know if I can do this… Oh God!' _Panic began to swell. He couldn't expect her to do this. She didn't know what she was doing!

'_**It's okay'**_ her inner beast purred. _**'I'm here. If it's too much I'll handle it.' **_Max blinked. Her animal had never been so sympathetic to her in a long time. It was tempting, to just hand over the reins… but she knew that if this was the first time, it certainly wouldn't be the last. She'd hang on for as long as she could.

Forcing herself to go lax against him, she melted into the hard planes of his body. She wasn't scared exactly… just unnerved. She sighed and tried to focus on just scent and his warmth and the feel of him.

Victor leaned back and gripped her chin, staring into liquid silver. No gold yet… good. He claimed her mouth and gripped her tighter. The taste if her pliant lips made him almost groan. He gripped her ass and lifted her into his arms, one hand going to one thy as it wrapped around his waist.

Max groaned into his mouth as the flavor of him exploded in her mouth. He felt so good… she liked the way she fit against him. The feel of his hands on her filled her with warmth and held her together. She pressed harder into him and wound her arms around his neck bringing her head slightly higher than his.

They separated for breath and Max barely noticed that they were on the move as they went down the hallway and into the bed room. Her feral was coming alive inside her, drawn to the male that had claimed them and panting to have her fun as well.

She closed her eyes tight and fought her heavy breathing. The animal in her paced and swished her tail in aggravation. She whimpered when she felt her back hit the bed and sink into the mattress. She gulped and hugged Victor tighter.

Victor ran his hands down her sides and slipped under the shirt. Her skin was like smooth satin and she arched under him. He raised himself above her and watched her inner struggle. Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily with her hair all spread out around her head.

He sat up, letting his hands skim down her ribs to her stomach, and then down her legs as he got off the bed and quickly shed his clothing.

Max frowned when she felt his heat leave her. She distantly heard the jingle of a belt buckle before she was drawn back into trying to soothe her animal which was lurking closely under the surface, clawing to get out.

She heard fabric drop and then his mouth was there, on the inside of her knee, and his claws were drifting teasingly back up her side.

The sensations were over powering, almost too much… she was slipping. His breath skirted higher on her leg to the inside of her thigh, and a paw gripped her breast. She sucked in a breath when he blew on the wetness of her panties and thumbed her nipple.

It was… delicious, and terrifying. She was frustrated that she didn't know what he was doing, and she didn't know what she was supposed to do. What if she fucked this up? Was it going to hurt?

Victor was grasping at the dwindling straws of his control. He'd never been so tender with a female before, it was serving to be an interesting challenge not to just fuck her until she screamed. Some baser part of him, part of the animal, demanded he take his time.

Her whimpers and gasps hung between pleasure and uncertainty, and her body was tight with indecision on whether to give herself over to him completely or to maintain some kind of control over herself. He took pleasure in struggle.

He wanted to stretch her out and map her body. He wanted to drive her _wild._ He wanted her to _beg._

"Smell good, baby girl," he rasped at the edge of her lace panties. "Smell like you want me to fuck you."

Max whined at his heated words.

'_Oh God… 'It_ was too much. She was defenseless held down like this… Snippets of the times he'd rounded on her in fits of temper flickered before her eyes... and fear took hold again. He was everywhere, his heat and his touch had turned from welcomed to suffocating. The shadowy figure in her mind paced more quickly before turning and leaping to the front of her consciousness.

"Smell good enough to _eat," _Victor growled and nipped sharply at the smooth skin of her tummy and tweaked her nipple.

Victor blinked. Glittering gold filled his vision and he felt Max-s weight settle over his hips. He was on his back… looking up.

'_What the fuck?'_ It took a full second for him to go from surprised to pissed. Victor Creed did _not _do bottom.

Max sat astride him in all her half-clothed glory fixating him with a curious look. It was Max… but it wasn't. Victor bared his teeth at her and fastened his hands to her hips ready to throw her off him, figuring she was going to attack.

He stopped himself when her eyes began to move over his face before quickly dropping to his mouth. She let out a soft whine and ran her hands down his forearms to his biceps. The air between them became charged as they sat there for a while.

Victor braced when she slowly leant forward and nuzzled one side of his mutton chops at his chin. He slowly let out a breath but didn't relax his bruising grip on her hips.

Max whimpered when he remained tense and trailed her lips to the underside if chin, giving him a series of small licks and nips and pressing herself more heavily atop him.

She didn't want to fight…

Victor kept his growl constant while she presented her submissive status above him. So it wasn't an attack… it was the she-wolf coming out to get a good look at him. She moved down his to chest, nuzzling the hair in her wake and rubbing her face against his powerful chest. She knew better then to go anywhere near his throat, or his stomach. She took in his scent deeply, committing it to memory.

'_**Mmm, mate.'**_

He jack- knifed into a sitting position and gripped her shoulders. Max let loose her own growl at being interrupted, before quickly stifling it and letting her head fall to begrudgingly to the side to expose her neck.

Victor studied her curiously. What a fascinating little wolf he'd caught. He thought the frail had enough sass on her own, but he liked this side of her. She was assertive in her own way and she watched him hawkishly from the corner of her eye with her lips turned down in the slightest way.

She was slightly put off that he'd put an end to her exploring. He sucked in the tendon of her neck and drew her arms up by her wrists. Max slightly huffed and went to deny him until he pulled sharply on her neck and scraped his fangs across her skin in warning.

Grasping his shirt, he swiftly pulled it off her letting out a chuckle of amusement when she all but burrowed into his chest to hide from him. Seems even her feral was on the shy side… no matter, he's brake her of it soon enough.

He snaked his hand into her hair to pull her back so he could look at her. Yellow eyes narrowed before she squared her shoulders and round her hips against him. Her eyes were bold, and almost challenging as she felt his chest and lightly raked her own nails down his stomach, following the trail of hair to between his legs.

Victor pressed back against her and growled again.

"Easy pup…' he warned. His other hand trailed her spine before hooking a claw under the sides of her underwear and ripping them free. Max shuddered and whimpered. He rolled over to pin her back under him.

Max's teeth flashed and a snarl crawled from her throat. Victor rubbed himself against her, letting her juices coat his length. She arched under him, still growling and he tightened hiss hand in her hair before wrapping his lips around a nipple, pulling sharply. She gasped and bucked against him, her growl becoming a moan.

He hadn't wanted to take her animal first, but apparently it couldn't be helped. And he'd be damned if he was going to stop, as worked up as he was. He was so hard he ached. His fingers found her opening and sunk into her heated flesh.

So wet. He groaned. This was going to be good.

He nipped and suckled her breast while he played with her, making her thrash under him. Wanton moans turned to desperate gasps and then demanding growls. Her nails dug into his shoulders and she arched sharply against him.

Victor leaned his face over hers and kissed her, his hand left her to circle under her knee and spread her more to accommodate him.

"Pup," he rumbled. Max stilled to look up at him. "Trust me?" he asked. She blinked and gave a huff before arching her hips under him. He took that as a yes.

He watched her as he pushed his way inside. Her expression was schooled not to give away her discomfort but her chest started to heave. With a growl he sheathed himself balls deep and released her hair and leg to grab her wrists when her nails began to strip the flesh from his shoulders. She whimpered and whined, twisting under him to rid herself of his intrusion.

Victor flattened against her to hold her down while he moved, not as hard as he wanted to, but enough to turn his blood to liquid fire. When her neck arched and her scent sweetened again he picked up the pace. She struggled to be free of his grip and he finally let her go so he could put his weight on his forearms next to her.

Max wound her arms behind his back, gripping him tightly I her passion. She instinctively brought her knees up to better absorb his thrusts and allow him deeper.

Her abdomen wound tighter and tighter and pleasure pounded against her temples. She moaned in Victor's ear and rubbed her face under his chin.

His clawed hand found her hair again pinned her head to the bed making her arch her neck and then her back.

Victor groaned and brought his other hand to her bruised hip to hold her down. She was so tight it was borderline painful. That made it all so much sweeter and the pleasure sharper. His eyes found her lust-filled gaze and he pounded harder against her.

She was almost there.

He trailed his tongue up her neck and watched her face.

"Wanna see it baby… come for me." His words proved to be her undoing and her eyes slammed shut when she let loose a moan tinged with a howl.

It was like music to his ears. He answered her with his only animalistic roar as she tightened mercilessly around him, not giving him much of a choice but to follow her into ecstasy.

When he finally caught his breath, he rolled off her onto his back, tucking her against his side. He noticed through half-lidded eyes that she was already asleep when she wound her leg around his.


End file.
